Estrada orders probe of Palawan shooting

President Estrada ordered yesterday a thorough investigation on the fatal shooting of a Chinese boat skipper who was allegedly caught poaching in Palawan waters by local police and Coast Guard personnel last Friday.

This developed as the Chinese Embassy demanded compensation for the death of the unidentified skipper of the Chinese-flagged boat.

The boat and its crew of seven are being detained in Puerto Princesa City.

Chinese Ambassador Fu Ying called on Foreign Undersecretary Lauro Baja yesterday and filed a note verbale over the killing. She asked that the body of the slain Chinese fisherman be released along with the detained crewmen. She also urged Philippine authorities to tow the fishing boat to a safe place.

"I think they were also asking for compensation," said Baja. "The government is addressing all these problems."

The President said he has ordered a thorough investigation of the incident, but added that if it were proven that the Chinese fishermen were indeed in Philippine waters, "the incident would be an entirely police matter."

"This incident should not in any way affect the relations between the Philippines and the People's Republic of China," the President said in a statement, citing his visit to Beijing earlier this month when both sides agreed to settle their territorial disputes through peaceful means and in accordance with international law.

Police have alleged that the Chinese fishermen were poaching off the western coast of Palawan and that they returned fire after the fishermen opened fire at them.

Fu told reporters that she was "very, very sorry" for the family of the slain skipper but the shooting "was an independent incident" which she hoped "can be prevented from occurring in the future."

Manila-Beijing ties have been strained over potentially explosive territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Manila fears Beijing is trying to encroach on territory it has claimed in the Spratly islands in the South China Sea and at Scarborough Shoal, about 185 kilometers from Zambales.

The Spratlys, a chain of potentially mineral-rich islands, are partly or wholly claimed by the Philippines and China as well as Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Friday's killing of the Chinese boat skipper occurred off the island of Balabac, near the Philippine border with Malaysia.

Fu conceded yesterday that the fishing vessel "came in Philippine waters because of engine malfunctioning," but disputed Philippine authorities' contention that the crew were armed.

"The Chinese fishing vessel did not fire back. Chinese fishing boats are not allowed to bring in weapons, guns," she stressed.

"But they probably were afraid so they were trying to escape. According to the fishermen on board, they stopped when the shooting occurred."

On the allegations that the fishermen were poaching sea turtles, Fu said "that needs to be verified."

"If indeed they fish turtles, they will face punishment in China, too. It is against Chinese law to fish turtles," she said. -- With AFP report