PCG: 2 coast guards implicated in Taiwan fisherman’s death have lawyered up

 News
Apr 172014
 
The Philippine Coast Guard on Thursday revealed that two PCG members ordered arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman last year have consulted their lawyers.

“They have their private lawyers already,” PCG spokesman Lt. Cdr. Armand Balilo told GMA News Online in a text message.

The two, Coast Guard Commanding Officer Arnold Dela Cruz and Seaman First Class Mhelvin Bendo, have lawyered up after a Cagayan court ordered their arrest for obstruction of justice in connection with the death of Hung Shih-cheng in disputed waters in May 2013.

The warrants were issued by the Municipal Trial Court Branch 11 in Sta. Ana, Cagayan.

The judge set the bail at P12,000 each, which can be posted in any trial court in the Philippines, Navera said.

However, when asked if the two have posted bail, Balilo said he was not aware of Dela Cruz and Bendo’s current status with the law.

“I have no information of their whereabouts,” he said.

The charges against the two stemmed from the alleged falsification of Dela Cruz’s unit’s monthly gunnery reports “in order to reflect a smaller amount of ammunition used during the shooting incident,” according to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which investigated the case.

Charged along with the two were SN1 Marvin Ramirez and LTJG Martin Bernabe.

Apart from obstruction of justice charges, separate cases of homicide have also been lodged against Dela Cruz, Bendo and six other PCG men.

Hung, 65, was killed on May 9, 2013 in the Balintang Channel near the Luzon Strait when Coast Guard personnel opened fire after he allegedly tried to ram a Philippine vessel with his boat. — BM, GMA News

No special talks to help OFWs losing their jobs in Taiwan

 News
Jun 012013
 
No special talks to help OFWs losing their jobs in Taiwan

By Nancy C. CarvajalPhilippine Daily Inquirer 1:47 am | Sunday, June 2nd, 2013 Taiwanese investigators rides a rubber boat as they inspect a ship involved in the alleged shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman while they continue their probe in Manila on Tuesday, May 28, 2013. The daughter of the Taiwanese fisherman allegedly killed by Filipino coast guards filed murder charges during joint proceedings held by Taiwanese and Philippine prosecutors in Pingtung County on Tuesday. AP PHOTO/AARON FAVILA MANILA, Philippines—There are no special talks to help Filipinos who are losing their jobs in Taiwan after the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman by Filipino coast guards three weeks ago. Arthur Abiera, Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco) representative, told a news conference on Thursday that negotiations with Taiwanese authorities involved general matters for the restoration of good relations between the Philippines and Taiwan. Labor issues are only part of the talks, he said. Taiwan froze new jobs for Filipino migrant workers and Taiwanese employers are not renewing contracts in retaliation for the shooting death of fisherman Hung Shih-chen on May 9. Many of the 87,000 Filipino migrant workers in Taiwan are affected by the retaliatory measure but Abiera said Meco could not do anything about it. “That’s the Taiwanese government’s decision,” Abiera said. “We are trying to address all issues. It’s sad that they will be affected.” Why us? “Why should we suffer for what other Filipinos had done?” asked Maryanne, a Filipino migrant worker in Taiwan who asked that her last Read More …

De Lima hopes swap of PH-Taiwan probers will put closure to boat shooting

 News
May 272013
 
De Lima hopes swap of PH-Taiwan probers will put closure to boat shooting

By Tetch Torres-Tupas INQUIRER.net 5:21 pm | Monday, May 27th, 2013 Justice Secretary Leila De Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines-Justice Secretary Leila De Lima on Monday said she hopes that the parallel investigation conducted by the Philippines and Taiwan will repair the strained relations between Manila and Taipei. “With the mutual or reciprocal visits of the Philippines and Taiwanese teams, it is expected that their respective separate investigations will be concluded soon and hopefully put closure to the factual issues surrounding the incident,” De Lima said in a statement. “What is being demonstrated is the spirit of cooperation and openness between Philippines and Taiwanese authorities which can contribute to a significant degree, to the restoration of normalcy of PH-Taiwan relations,” she added. With the death of fisherman Hung Shih-cheng last May 9, the country’s economic-cultural relation with Taiwan was strained, putting at risk the Filipino workers in Taiwan. The NBI team is expected to stay in Taiwan for three days to inspect the fishing vessel and interview its crew but subject to adjustment as needed, said NBI Director Nonnatus Rojas. On the other hand, Taiwanese probers are also in the country to conduct ballistic examination and inspect the vessel used by the Philippine Coast Guard. The swap of teams of investigators followed weeks of acrimony over the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman. A team of eight Philippine officials including experts from the NBI flew to the island and were promptly whisked away upon arrival at Taoyuan airport in the Read More …

Taiwan, PH swap shooting probe investigators

 News
May 272013
 

Agence France-Presse 5:16 pm | Monday, May 27th, 2013 TAIPEI — Taiwan and the Philippines swapped teams of investigators Monday following weeks of acrimony over the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman. A team of eight Philippine officials including experts from the National Bureau of Investigation flew to the island and were promptly whisked away upon arrival at Taoyuan airport in the north. A Taiwanese team of experts also flew to the Philippines. Both teams will review how 65-year-old Hung Shih-cheng was shot dead by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on 9 May, an incident which has sharply raised tensions between Manila and Taipei and prompted economic sanctions by Taiwan. “The (Philippine) visitors will have a look at the autopsy report on Hung Shih-cheng this afternoon,” a spokesman for Taiwan’s justice ministry told AFP. Before leaving on Friday, the Filipino team will also inspect evidence from local prosecutors, visit the fishing boat, review voyage data records onboard the vessel and inspect ballistic evidence, the spokesman said. Taiwan said its team in the Philippines would visit the coastguard vessel, inspect the guns used to fire on the vessel and review video footage. A spokesman for the Philippines’ National Bureau of Investigation confirmed the Taiwanese team had arrived but would not comment on what they were doing or how long they would stay. The Philippines has claimed that the fishing boat intruded into its waters and that coastguards were forced to open fire when it tried to ram their vessel. The Taiwanese Read More …