NBI Recommend filing Criminal Charges to Philippine Coast Guard that shoot dead Taiwanese poacher to the Philippines territory. Philippine Coast Guard slam the NBI's recommendation as they are just doing their job per order to defend the Philippine territory. The shooting incident occurred 79.2km Island of Luzon in the Philippine territory and 316.8km from Taiwan. Photo from INQUIRER
A Philippine government's investigating body has recommended the filing of criminal charges against several members of the Philippine Coast Guard for the death of a Taiwanese fisherman off northern Luzon in the Philippine Sea on May 9.
In a report sent to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) identified the Philippine Coast Guard personnel who fired their guns on the Taiwanese fishing vessel, the Guan Ta Hsin 28, including the person whose bullet fatally killed Hung Shih chen, the Inquirer quoted an unnamed source as saying.
"The shooter was identified through a cross-match between the slug recovered from Hung's body during autopsy and the signature of the coast guard's M14 rifle," the source explained, adding that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has received just a "thin report" because the annexes have yet to be forwarded to her.
The NBI has not specified if the coast guards would be charged with murder or homicide because of unresolved debates over the Philippine Coast Guard using "superior strength versus the Taiwanese fishermen," and that the killing of the Taiwanese fisherman was "not premeditated," said the source.
The Philippine Coast Guard said the shooting targeted the engine of the Taiwanese fishing boat to stop it from trying to ram the coast guard's vessel.
The shooting incident occurred 79.2km off island of Luzon in the Philippine territory and 316.8km from Taiwan, the source said. It was earlier identified as the Balintang Channel off northern Luzon.
The report has been forwarded to President Benigno Aquino, said Justice Secretary de Lima who refused to give more details. The presidential palace has not made an official statement regarding the matter.
The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), the de facto embassy of the Philippines in Taiwan, including the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), the de facto embassy of Taiwan in Manila have not confirmed receiving copies of the report.
The family of the Taiwanese fishermen has already filed murder charges against the Philippine Coast Guard in Pingtung County District Attorney's Office in southern Taiwan.
Two investigating bodies from the Philippines and Taiwan held parallel probes on the incident last week.
Taiwan demanded an official apology from the Philippine government, but rejected President Aquino's apology when he said the killing was not intentional.
Taiwan also demanded compensation for Hung's family and punishment for those who shot him.
Taiwan also froze new jobs for Filipino workers in Taiwan; suspended tourist travel to the Philippines; and temporarily ended trade and cultural exchanges with the Philippines.
With reports sources from BBC News, Gulf News and Philippine Daily Inquirer
