NBI report on Taiwanese fisherman's death now with De Lima

 News
Jun 112013
 
NBI report on Taiwanese fisherman's death now with De Lima

The report of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on the May 9 fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman in disputed waters has already been submitted to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. De Lima, however, refused to disclose the contents of the report, saying it will be forwarded immediately to President Benigno Aquino III. “Yes. Might submit it to the President today,” said De Lima in a text message to reporters when asked if the report has already been submitted to her. De Lima had earlier said once she gets a copy of the report, it would be submitted to Aquino first before it will be released to the public. NBI deputy director Virgilio Mendez has earlier confirmed to GMA News Online the transmission of the report to De Lima. “Per my information, it will be delivered now to the DOJ,” Mendez said earlier in the day. Two weeks ago, eight NBI agents flew to Taiwan to conduct their probe on the incident. The team inspected the fishing vessel of the victim and interviewed his companions when the shooting happened. The NBI also interviewed the medico-legal expert that autopsied the victim. The team were also allowed to view the video of the autopsy. A seven-man Taiwanese team also went to the Philippines for a four-day parallel investigation on the incident. The fatal shooting of the 65-year-old fisherman had caused a rift between the Philippines and Taiwan. Both the Philippines and Taiwan insisted that the incident happened within their respective territories. — Read More …

No politics in banning of Taiwan food products, says Palace exec

 News
Jun 102013
 
No politics in banning of Taiwan food products, says Palace exec

No politics involved. This was how a Malacañang official described a decision by a government agency banning 15 food products from Taiwan that were found to contain maleic acid, an unapproved food additive that could potentially harm the kidney. “Alam mo ang kagandahan dito sa FDA (Food and Drug Administration) there is empirical evidence e.  [They were banned] because of the presence of a certain ingredient. It’s not subject to politics,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a press briefing Monday. Lacierda added that the banning of the food products, which include tapioca pearls and rice noodles, have been subjected to tests. “It’s subject to a scientific evaluation whether that banned substance exists in those products, and if it is, under our laws, it is banned. It is as simple as that,” Lacierda said. “It has nothing to do with politics. It has nothing to do with the present situation that we’re in with Taiwan. FDA ‘yung nagdesisyon ‘nun e,” he added. Lacierda said the government continues to look out for the health of all Filipinos. “Siyempre ang concern po ng gobyerno, ‘yung safety po at ‘yung kaligtasan, ang kalusugan po ng ating mga mamamayan. It has everything to do with the health of the Filipino citizens,” he said. However, Lacierda also expressed hope that the tensions in Taiwan, which has resulted in cases of discrimination agaisnt OFW’s there, will end soon. “Siyempre gusto nating ma-lift ‘yung sanctions pero alam ninyo, meron tayong investigation na nangyayari ngayon, NBI and their Taiwanese Read More …

NBI submits Sabah standoff report to DOJ

 Entertainment
Jun 092013
 

MANILA  (Mabuhay) — The National Bureau of Investigation has already submitted to the Department of Justice the report in connection with the investigation they conducted on the Sabah standoff. However, NBI Deputy Director for Regional Operations Virgilio Mendez on Tuesday refused to disclose the contents of the report they submitted to Justice Secretary Leila M. […]

NBI, Taiwanese probers to swap evidence

 News
Jun 072013
 
NBI, Taiwanese probers to swap evidence

By Nancy C. CarvajalPhilippine Daily Inquirer 4:23 am | Saturday, June 8th, 2013 Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-cheng’s boat, the Kuang Ta Hsing No. 28, is checked by Taiwanese officers after arriving at Liuqiu port in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan, Saturday, May 11, 2013. Taiwanese boat owner Steven Liao said the damage to the Guang Ta Hsin 28 costs around NT$8 million (P11 million). AP PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday said it would not be able to complete its report on the shooting death of a Taiwanese fisherman last month or proceed with the filing of charges against the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel involved until a counterpart Taiwanese team of investigators sends them a set of authenticated documents from the latter’s own probe of the incident. Virgilio Mendez, the NBI deputy director for regional services, told a press conference on Friday that the agency has ended its discussions with the Taiwanese probers after holding a series of meetings. “Discussions were terminated this afternoon and we agreed on some issues like exchange and clarification of evidence collected,” Mendez said. He described the meetings as “cordial and at the same time passionate”. But Mendez said the NBI report on its investigation cannot be finished until their Taiwanese counterparts send to the Manila Economic Cultural Office (Meco), the Philippines’ de facto embassy in Taipei, the results of their own investigation, complete with authenticated and translated documents constituting their evidence. Mendez said they requested for an “official English translation Read More …

NBI arrests 6 Taiwanese suspects on credit card fraud

 News
Jun 062013
 
NBI arrests 6 Taiwanese suspects on credit card fraud

By Tetch Torres-TupasINQUIRER.net 4:24 pm | Thursday, June 6th, 2013 Nonnatus Caesar Rojas MANILA, Philippines—The National Bureau of Investigation arrested six Taiwanese nationals allegedly involved in credit card fraud. In a report submitted to NBI Director Nonnatus Rojas on Thursday, arrested by members of the NBI Cybercrime Division are Cheng-Yen Yu, 25; Chih-Cheng Chang, 35; Chia-Hung Hung, 26; Sen-Yuan Wu, 24; Chun-Kai Tsou, 25 and Wen-Hao Wu, 26, all with address at Unit 4D, Regency Park Townhomes (Summit Residence), J. Abad Santos Hi-Way corner E. Aguinaldo Street, Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga. The six have already been slapped with a complaint for violation of Republic Act 8484 or the Access, Devices, Regulation Act of 1998 before the Pampanga Prosecutors Office. Chih-Cheng Chang, on the other hand is also facing an additional complaint for Corruption of Public Officials for attempting to bribe the NBI operatives. Seized by the NBI-CCD team from the suspects were the P500,000 cash used in trying to bribe the operatives, counterfeit automated teller machine (ATM) cards and counterfeit credit cards, electronic gadgets used in illegal duplication of credit cards and ATM cards, and documents. The NBI arrested the six last June 4 after a series of surveillance operations. Found in the Taiwanese nationals’ possession were several electronic gadgets, devices, ATM cards, credit cards, and documents with Chinese characters which were being used and intended to be used in the  illegal activities of duplication, unauthorized use/access of credit cards/ATM cards. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Read More …

Taiwanese probers back in PHL for closed-door meeting with NBI

 News
Jun 062013
 
Taiwanese probers back in PHL for closed-door meeting with NBI

Taiwanese investigators who went to the Philippines to probe the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman in disputed waters returned to Manila Thursday to attend a closed-door meeting with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). NBI deputy director Virgilio Mendez said the foreign probers arrived in the country Thursday morning. “Pero wala pa sila dito sa office namin. Waiting na po kami,” Mendez said. The seven-man team first went to the Philippines last May 27 for a four-day parallel investigation on the fatal shooting of the 65-year-old fisherman that caused a rift between the Philippines and Taiwan. The team inspected the Philippine vessel that confronted the victim and his fellow fishermen, who were accused of poaching in Philippine waters, and interviewed Coast Guard and Bureau of Fishery and Aquatic Resources personnel implicated in the shooting. The team also conducted ballistics exam on the Filipino authorities’ firearms as well as viewed and obtained a copy of the video of the incident. On Wednesday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the Taiwanese team would be meeting with the NBI “as  matter of courtesy” to discuss findings of their respective investigations. She said the purpose of the meeting is not to “cross-check” the findings of the two teams. De Lima cited a similar instance when the eight-man NBI team flew to Taiwan to conduct its own probe on the matter, which included inspecting the fishing vessel of the victim and getting statements from his companions. After the relatives of the victim disagreed to Read More …

NBI, Taiwan probers meet anew to discuss Balintang Channel shooting

 News
Jun 062013
 
NBI, Taiwan probers meet anew to discuss Balintang Channel shooting

By Tetch Torres-TupasINQUIRER.net 1:27 pm | Thursday, June 6th, 2013 Taiwanese investigators use a rubber boat in Manila’s South Harbor to inspect the hull of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources ship involved in the shooting death of a Taiwanese fisherman in the Balintang Channel earlier this month. The Taiwanese are here while NBI investigators are in Taiwan to make a parallel investigation. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and a team of investigators from Taiwan will meet Thursday to talk about their findings on the shooting incident in Balintang Channel last May 9 that led to the death of a Taiwanese fisherman. NBI Director Nonnatus Rojas confirmed that the Taiwanese probers arrived in the country Thursday morning to sit down with their counterparts with the NBI. Justice Secretary Leila De Lima earlier said it was the Taiwanese probers who requested the meeting. Both the Philippine and Taiwanese governments are investigating the May 9 shooting by Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel of 65-year-old Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-Cheng. The PCG personnel have maintained that Shih-Cheng was accidentally shot at, after the Taiwanese fishing vessel refused to heed their warning shots. The meeting will not resort to any “cross-checking” of findings, De Lima added. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in Read More …

NBI wrapping up probe on Sabah incursion

 News
Jun 042013
 
NBI wrapping up probe on Sabah incursion

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is about to wrap up its three-month investigation on the supposed incursion of a group of Sulu Sultan Jamalil Kiram III’s supporters to Sabah, which resulted in fierce armed clashes between the group and Malaysian authorities. NBI director Nonnatus Rojas confirmed to GMA News Online on Tuesday that his agency has not yet finished their investigation on the incident, but said they are already putting together various reports on the incident from other government agencies. “That is because we are still consolidating the NBI, Department of Justice, and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group’s final reports,” Rojas said. Kiram’s followers, who engaged in sporadic clashes with Malaysian authorities in early March, went to Sabah in February supposedly to assert their historical claim on the disputed territory. Sabah, located in the island of Borneo close to southwestern Mindanao, is territorially disputed by the Philippines and Malaysia. A Philippine claim for sovereignty over it has lain dormant for decades, but Malaysia continues to pay a yearly rent to the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu, who claim to be the descendants of the original Filipino sultan who had control over the territory for centuries. President Benigno Aquino III had earlier asked for an investigation on the incursion, believing that Kiram was part of an effort to sabotage the ongoing peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Nur Misuari, founder of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and a supporter of Kiram’s cause, Read More …

PCG: Video doesn’t show coast guards laughing

 News
Jun 022013
 
PCG: Video doesn’t show coast guards laughing

By Jerry E. EsplanadaPhilippine Daily Inquirer 12:45 am | Monday, June 3rd, 2013 “Laughing” and “smiling” are completely different, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Sunday as it rejected the Inquirer’s report that six coast guards were seen in a video laughing as they fired at a Taiwanese fishing boat. The Coast Guard took the video of the encounter between the coastal patrol vessel MCS-3001 and the Taiwanese fishing boat Guan Ta Hsin 28 in waters off Balintang Island in northern Philippines on May 9. The video was submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for the investigation of the fatal shooting of Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-chen, 65, during the chase. Cmdr. Armand Balilo, spokesperson for the Coast Guard, said Sunday he had seen the video and dismissed the Inquirer report as “inaccurate” and “hearsay.” Malacañang and the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco), the Philippines’ de facto embassy in Taiwan, declined to comment on the Inquirer report. The Palace, however, gave assurance that the outcome of the government investigation will be solely based on evidence. The report was based on an interview by reporter Nancy C. Carvajal with a source who had seen the video and whose statements were confirmed by two other sources. “The video showed the soldiers acted unprofessionally. They were laughing while they were shooting the boat,” the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. “It is disturbing and embarrassing for Philippine law enforcers,” the source said. Balilo said there was no footage from Read More …

Slug cross-matching will determine fisherman's killer – Taiwan prosecutor

 News
May 302013
 
Slug cross-matching will determine fisherman's killer - Taiwan prosecutor

The National Bureau of Investigation and the Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau will compare slugs taken from the body of the Taiwanese fisherman who was shot and killed May 9, with tests slugs taken from the confiscated weapons of Philippine Coast Guard sailors involved in the shooting. Taiwan’s Pingtung district attorney, Chih-Ming Hsieh, explained in an interview aired over GMA 7’s “24 Oras”, “It is of paramount importance to find out who shot the victim to death and do a cross match and have a better picture of that fact.” NBI investigators are set to fly back to the Philippines on Friday with the evidence they had gathered in Taiwan. The information and evidence will be used in the final report they will draft, as well as possible recommendations, on the May 9 shooting. Meanwhile, overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan feared the repercussions if the NBI investigation results did not favor the Taiwanese nor match the parallel investigation of the Taiwanese Criminal Investigation Bureau. As things stood, OFWs were still being randomly attacked by irate Taiwanese. Two Filipino workers, identified only as Eric and Melchor, recalled how two Taiwanese men on a motorcycle suddenly attacked them while they were bicycling home. “Napasigaw ako nung tumama yung helmet niya sa likod ko,” said Melchor, “Sobrang sakit talaga.” “Hindi muna kami lumalabas masyado para di mapaginitan,” he added. “Sana naman ay matapos na agad ang imbestigasyon at isipin din ang kapakanan naming mga OFWs dito sa taiwan,” worried Eric. — DVM, GMA News

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