PCG plead not guilty for killing Taiwan fisherman

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - Philippine Coast Guard personnel charged with homicide for shooting a fisherman from China's Taiwan last year pleaded not guilty during the arraignment before the Batanes Regional Trial Court (RTC) today.

Six of the eight coast guard personnel entered a plea of not guilty to homicide charges they are facing during their arraignment before the Batanes RTC Branch, said Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera.

The other accused Edrando Quiapo Aguila failed to attend the arraignment for personal matters. Navera said the court set his arraignment on Nov. 24.

The court proceeded with the arraignment after it junked the motion to quash the information filed by the accused last week for alleged failure of the prosecution to present evidence or proof to show that the crime took place or that the victim, Hong Shi Cheng indeed died as alleged, he said.

Their commanding officer, Arnold Enrique dela Cruz who was also charged in the case, pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned last July.

"The court denied the motion to quash and agreed with our arguments. They were immediately arraigned and they all entered a not guilty plea," Navera said

Navera said, "We were able to present the autopsy report and death certificate of the victim which the court took cognizant of in dismissing the motion to quash."

These PCG officers intercepted a Taiwanese fishing vessel in May last year and fired after a sea chase at the fishing vessel, killing Huang Shih-Cheng, 65, one of the four crew members of the fishing vessel.