Traumatized PCG men join Independence Day rites

MANILA, Philippines - Seventeen members of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) have reportedly been “traumatized” by the investigation of their involvement in the death of a suspected Taiwanese poacher last May.

The 17 joined the celebrations yesterday marking the 115th Independence Day anniversary.

PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo said the 17 Coast Guard members attended the 8 a.m. ceremonies at PCG headquarters in South Harbor, Manila.

“This was more meaningful to us because of the trials (that they are currently facing). The people did their job under rough sea condition. They did what they had to do,” said Balilo.

The 17 PCG members are being investigated for the killing of 65-year-old Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-Cheng, one of the suspected poachers on the Taiwanese fishing vessel Guang Ta Hsin-28 that was chased for more than an hour in Balintang Channel off the Batanes islands last May 9.

The 17 are expected to face charges.

He said that apart from the traditional challenges that the PCG face daily are search and rescue operations and the “sovereign patrol” of Philippine territorial waters.

He said the PCG was involved in protecting Philippine sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc, also called Panatag or Scarborough Shoal off Zambales, the Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea, and the recent repatriation of Filipinos from Sabah, Malaysia.

“We would like to highlight the bravery and the heroism (of the PCG) and do not portray us as the villains,” he added.

The BRP Pampanga and BRP Corregidor that were involved in the Panatag Shoal standoff with Chinese maritime authorities and the monitoring, control and surveillance ship MCS 3001 that was used to run after the Taiwanese fishing boat, were all docked at the PCG pier during yesterday’s ceremonies.

Balilo said the 17 PCG men are worried over reports that some coast guard members could be held criminally liable for either homicide or murder, for the death of the Taiwanese fisherman.

He said PCG commandant Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena and the PCG members continue to provide moral, spiritual, and legal support to the concerned personnel.

All the vessels docked in ports nationwide blew their horns for about two minutes during the singing of the “Lupang Hinirang.”

Balilo said, “It was like the ships were also singing the national anthem.”

PCG chaplain Commander Jude Thaddeus Besinga said that he met with the 17 men three times a week and initially observed that they had low morale and were traumatized by the May 9 incident.

Even their families were affected by the incident.

Unconfirmed news reports that they were laughing while firing shots at the fleeing Taiwanese vessel also saddened them.

Some of them become emotional and told him that they have sleepless nights or their hands would tremble.

He added, “This is like a nightmare for them.”

Besinga said that what hurts them more was the thought that they have offered their lives for their country and ended up under investigation.

“We just hope that the truth would come out and justice would be given to them,” Besinga added.

The 17 men were also concerned with the plight of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan.

The Taiwanese government has ordered a freeze in hiring of OFWs and there have been reports of Filipinos being victims of hate attacks following the death of the Taiwanese fisherman.

“We at the PCG are for flag, country and people, so if there are people who are affected because of our actions, almost all of us are affected,” said Besinga.

NBI submits report to DOJ

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has submitted its report on the fatal shooting of a suspected Taiwanese poacher by PCG men off Balintang Channel, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said.

De Lima confirmed she was reviewing the report, which she was set to submit to President Aquino yesterday afternoon.

But she refused to discuss the findings.

“Just like in any high-profile case handled by the NBI, the President should read the report first before it can be released to the public,” she explained.

The NBI has completed its report after conducting a parallel investigation with Taiwanese probers.

Last week, NBI officials met with their Taiwanese counterparts to compare notes on their separate findings. They agreed on most points and synchronized a few differences.

In that meeting, the local investigators requested additional documents from the Taiwanese authorities, particularly the slugs recovered from the fishing vessel and the authenticated medico-legal and ballistic reports.

Earlier reports quoting reliable sources hinted at possible criminal charges to be filed against the PCG members involved in the incident.

The formal complaint for murder filed by the victim’s daughter before the Pingtung prosecutor’s office in Taiwan is expected to be forwarded by Taiwanese authorities to the NBI.

Once received, the murder complaint may be used by the NBI to initiate criminal charges against the PCG men.

The NBI said the family of Hung might file criminal case against the PCG men here since the country has criminal jurisdiction over the incident that happened within Philippine territory.

Hung’s daughter Hung Tzu Chien filed the murder complaint but did not immediately name the respondents, pending completion of the report of the Taiwanese investigators.

Unlike in Philippine laws, the filing of cases ahead of the investigation is allowed under Taiwanese laws.– With Edu Punay