Coast Guard urges residents in coastal areas to take precautions vs. floods

 News
Jun 072013
 
Coast Guard urges residents in coastal areas to take precautions vs. floods

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Friday advised residents in coastal areas, especially in Visayas and Mindanao, to take precautions against floods and landslides that may be caused by a potential cyclone. Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Armand Balilo said residents should keep alert for heavy rain and be ready to evacuate if needed, radio dzBB’s Carlo Mateo reported. Balilo also advised residents to keep handy in the house various emergency items such as food, water and flashlights as well as batteries. He said an average of 21 to 23 cyclones enter the Philippine area of responsibility every year. Earlier on Friday, PAGASA said flash floods and landslides may threaten parts of Visayas and Mindanao as a potential cyclone, a low-pressure area, moved close to Eastern Samar. PAGASA forecaster Elvie Enriquez said the LPA was near Samar and had a “50-50 chance” of intensifying into a cyclone. If the LPA intensifies into a cyclone while inside the Philippine area of responsibility, it will be locally codenamed Dante. – VVP, GMA News

Taiwanese probers quiz Coast Guard, BFAR men on Balintang Channel incident

 News
May 292013
 
Taiwanese probers quiz Coast Guard, BFAR men on Balintang Channel incident

NBI, Taiwanese probers inspect DA-BFAR vessel. At the Manila Port Area on Tuesday, NBI and Taiwanese investigators inspect the DA-BFAR Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS-3001) vessel that was used by PHL Coast Guard personnel in a shooting incident that killed a Taiwanese fisherman in Balintang Channel on May 9. The investigators checked every inch of the boat for new evidence. Danny Pata Visiting Taiwanese investigators on Wednesday quizzed 18 personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) as part of the parallel probe on the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman off Balintang Channel in northern Philippines early this month. Taiwanese prosecutor Lin Yeng Liang, however, kept mum on the details of their interview with the Filipino personnel embroiled in the incident. “It’s confidential,” Lin said when asked what questions they posed to the Filipinos. “With the assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation today we started to investigate and collect evidence both from the BFAR and PCG,” he added. The Taiwanese prosecutor, however, stressed that three days since arriving in Manila for their own probe, the Taiwan team has yet to reach a conclusion. “We will continue doing the investigation… We will complete the investigation within two days,” he told a group of reporters, composed of both Filipino and Taiwanese journalists. For his part, NBI Deputy Director Virgilio Mendez, head of the NBI team separately probing the incident, observed that the Taiwanese probers were “doing their best” to finish their investigation Read More …

Palace: No report yet on Coast Guard negligence in May 9 incident

 News
May 252013
 
Palace: No report yet on Coast Guard negligence in May 9 incident

Malacañang on Saturday said it has not received any report that Philippine Coast Guard personnel could be held liable in an encounter in disputed waters that killed a Taiwanese fisherman last May 9. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte reiterated the government’s call to the public to wait for the final result of the probe, after a newspaper reported on the supposed liability of the Coast Guard. “Wala pang isinusumite, mabuti hintayin natin ang final na result bago pag-usapan ang sinasabing detalye,” Valte said on government-run dzRB radio. A 65-year-old Taiwanese fisherman was killed in the incident, prompting Taiwan to freeze the hiring of Filipino workers and discourage its residents from traveling to the Philippines. On Saturday, a report on The Philippine Star quoted a source that said initial findings may indicate criminal negligence by the Philippine Coast Guard personnel involved. It said its source indicated Coast Guard personnel in the incident may face criminal and administrative charges for possible violations of rules of engagement, excessive use of force, and neglect of duty. But the Coast Guard initially said its men fired on the Taiwanese boat as it was about to ram the Philippine vessel. Meanwhile, Valte reiterated President Benigno Aquino’s  stance that a fisheries agreement with Taiwan may have to wait until after the present row is settled. A fisheries agreement had been one of Taiwan’s demands following the May 9 incident. “I think the president has spoken very clearly about the proposed fisheries agreement, he had actually mentioned it Read More …

Coast Guard finalizes report on USS Guardian grounding

 News
May 212013
 
Coast Guard finalizes report on USS Guardian grounding

The Philippine Coast Guard is now finalizing its report on the grounding of the minesweeper USS Guardian at Tubbataha Reef last Jan. 17 and will soon submit it to Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya. Administrative sanctions for those found liable may be included in the final report of the Coast Guard’s Marine Casualty Investigation Team, radio dzBB’s Carlo Mateo reported Wednesday. Once he goes over the report, Abaya is expected to submit it to President Benigno Aquino III, the dzBB report added. Last April, the Philippine Maritime Casualty Investigation Team (MCIT) received relevant documents on the incident from the US Navy. The USS Guardian ran aground at Tubbataha Reef last Jan. 17, and damaged 2,345.67 square meters of the reef. It was cut and removed from the area last March 30. A news release from the Tubbataha Management Office said the fines for the Jan. 17 grounding may amount to P58.4 million ($1.5 million). On the other hand, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the MCIT’s safety inquiry also aims to identify measures the Philippines and US may adopt to prevent a repeat of the incident. —KG, GMA News

Malaysian defense chief to confirm report PHL Navy killed 35 'Kiram men'

 News
Apr 252013
 
Malaysian defense chief to confirm report PHL Navy killed 35 'Kiram men'

Malaysian defense minister Gen Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin will confer with Philippine officials on a report that 35 suspected followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III were shot dead while trying to enter Sabah earlier this week. Police Inspector General Tan Sri Ismail Omar disclosed this as he reassured the public security in Lahad Datu and the situation there is under control as polling day on May 5 nears, a report by state-run Bernama news agency late Thursday said. “Asked about a report that 35 Kiram terrorists were shot dead by Philippine security forces while trying to enter Malaysian waters, Ismail said that Zulkifeli will confirm the report with his Philippine counterpart,” the Bernama report said. Zulikfeli had been quoted in a report by Malaysia’s The Star Online indicating 35 “Sulu militants” were killed while trying to enter Sabah. He claimed the incident occurred Wednesday when Philippine Navy and Coast Guard forces fired at the 35. The Philippine Navy and Coast Guard denied monitoring such an incident. Also, the report quoted him as citing intelligence reports that the group tried to enter Sabah to disrupt the May 5 polls. Meanwhile, Ismail said Ops Daulat, the offensive operation against Kiram followers that started March 5, has not yet ended. “Operation Daulat has not ended. Apart from Sabah Police, we can dispatch men from peninsula when needed,” he said. He added security forces are stationed in certain locations to prevent “terrorists” from disrupting the elections. — LBG, GMA News

Coast Guard: 568 more Pinoys return from Sabah

 News
Apr 182013
 
Coast Guard: 568 more Pinoys return from Sabah

At least 568 more Filipinos have returned to the Philippines from Sabah aboard three vessels, the Philippine Coast Guard said Thursday. In an article posted on its website Thursday afternoon, the Coast Guard said the 568 were from Sandakan town in Sabah, and were assisted by Philippine officials. Assisting them were teams from the Coast Guard Jolo station, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Marines. The first group of 256 arrived aboard the wooden-hulled passenger vessel ML Nur-ena, owned and operated by Hadjili Raja, arrived in Hadju Warid Pier in Patikul, Sulu. A second group of 249 arrived aboard the wooden-hulled cargo vessel ML Billy the Kid, owned and operated by HJA Habibiya Albani at Tanjung Pier in Jolo, Sulu. Meanwhile, the passenger/cargo vessel, M/V Liliflora, owned and operated by Magnolia Shipping Corp., arrived at Jolo Pier with 63 aboard. “Upon arrival at the respective piers, the returnees’ disembarkation were assisted by the personnel and representatives of [Coast Guard] Jolo, DSWD, PNP and the Philippine Marines,” the Coast Guard said. It said the Filipinos were then brought to the RPMA Terminal for medical examination, documentation, feeding and other necessities. Several Filipinos in Sabah had fled their homes in recent weeks due to the clashes between followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and Malaysian security forces. Malaysian forces had conducted offensives against Kiram’s followers since March 5, following deadly clashes on March 1 and 2 that ended a three-week standoff. — BM, Read More …

Chinese fishermen were checking on USS Guardian?

 News
Apr 142013
 
Chinese fishermen were checking on USS Guardian?

By Marlon Ramos, Jerry E. EsplanadaPhilippine Daily Inquirer 4:12 am | Monday, April 15th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—The Chinese crew of a fishing boat that ran aground on Tubbataha Reef last week could have been checking to see if the Americans had installed “military equipment” in the protected marine sanctuary where a US Navy minesweeper got stuck on an atoll nearly three months ago, a Philippine military officer said Sunday. The officer, who asked not to be named for lack of authority to talk to the media, said it was possible the 12 Chinese nationals on board the Ming Long Yu were “Chinese soldiers who were sent on a mission.” “This is just one of several possibilities the Philippine government should look into. The Chinese boat could have been part of a Chinese military operation,” the officer told the Inquirer. The source, who was familiar with previous incidents of Chinese military intrusions in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), said there were several indications the 48-meter-long Ming Long Yu was “not a fishing boat.” “As has been noted, the Chinese boat was not like the fishing vessels used by Chinese poachers who were arrested in Palawan. It was not carrying ice to preserve their catch. It did not have refrigerated storage,” he said. It was also noted that the men had “flawless” complexions, not the dark leathered skin of fishermen. He said there was “speculation” the Chinese military sent the 12 “fishermen” to conduct an inspection of the area where Read More …

12 Chinese seamen charged

 News
Apr 102013
 
12 Chinese seamen charged

By Redempto D. Anda Inquirer Southern Luzon 10:11 pm | Wednesday, April 10th, 2013 PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines—The 12 Chinese nationals whose boat got stuck in the Tubbataha Reefs on Monday night were slapped with charges of poaching and other violations of the marine park’s rules. They were detained at the provincial jail facility here following inquest proceedings on Tuesday afternoon. The Chinese, all crew members of what was reported as a 48-by-8-meter fishing vessel that rammed into Tubbataha’s north islet, were also expected to face additional charges, including attempted bribery. Marine park rangers at the World Heritage Site in the Sulu Sea said the Chinese offered them a bribe of $2,400 immediately after the boat ran aground. “We went ahead with the filing of the poaching case first and other violations under the law that created the Tubbataha marine park,” lawyer Adelle Villena of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development told the INQUIRER. She said other cases, including that one involving bribery, would follow. In Roxas City, President Benigno Aquino III said he was taken aback that yet another foreign vessel ran aground in the natural park, but this time he vowed to throw the book at the Chinese crew. “Wow! We’ve just finished (extracting the USS) Guardian, and here comes another one,” the President recalled what he told Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya when the letter reported to him the latest incident on Tuesday. Mr. Aquino said swift legal action would be taken against crewmen of the steel-hulled Read More …

Big waves, poor visibility hamper crane ship's work to salvage USS Guardian

 News
Feb 192013
 
Big waves, poor visibility hamper crane ship's work to salvage USS Guardian

Big waves and poor visibility are hounding the crew of a crane ship tasked to help in the salvage operation for the grounded US minesweeper USS Guardian, the Philippine Coast Guard said. Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Armand Balilo said the JASCON 25 is still near Tubbataha Reef but is encountering big waves and strong winds, radio dzBB’s Carlo Mateo reported. The report quoted Balilo as saying the continued bad weather conditions have so far prevented the ship’s crew from pushing through with salvage work. Earlier Wednesday, Task Force Tubbataha head and Coast Guard Palawan commander Commodore Enrico Evangelista said they may have to postpone salvage work due to bad weather. However, Evangelista said there is still no change so far in their timetable to remove the USS Guardian from the reef by March 23. On the other hand, the dzBB report quoted Balilo as saying that despite the bad weather conditions, JASCON 25 is not returning to Puerto Princesa City. Balilo said they are hoping that when Tropical Depression Crising leaves the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday, the Coast Guard and the salvage team can finally get salvage work going. For now, he said the safety of those involved in the salvage work is their main concern. — LBG, GMA News

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