Palace exec: PHL confirming if 12 Chinese in Tubbataha incident were spies

From GMA News (Apr 13): Palace exec: PHL confirming if 12 Chinese in Tubbataha incident were spies

Malacañang on Saturday said the Philippine intelligence community is determining whether the 12 Chinese in the Tubbataha grounding incident were spies.

“Tinitingnan pa ng ating intelligence community ang report. Meron tayong sinasagawang investigation para makita ang circumstances surrounding the grounding of the fishing boat,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on government-run dzRB radio.

For now, she said, “wala pang confirmation (there is no confirmation)” that the 12 could be spies.

On Friday, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the intelligence community will look into reports that the 12 Chinese crewmembers are actually spies.

While saying that the grounding may only be incidental to the grounding of the American minesweeper USS Guardian in January, Gazmin nevertheless said that the reports will be analyzed.

The 12 Chinese fishermen are now detained at the Palawan Provincial Jail after being charged for poaching and attempting to bribe park rangers.

The initial investigation showed their vessel ran aground at Tubbataha Reef before midnight of April 8, three months after the minesweeper USS Guardian was also grounded there Jan. 17.

Investigation

Gazmin said an investigation is being conducted by the provincial committee on illegal entrant on the circumstances of the incident.

“But we have also our intelligence community that can look into this, analyze and see if indeed they are genuine fishermen or disguised fishermen,” he said of the crewmen who have been already charged of poaching.

The 12 were also charged with of corruption of public officials for allegedly offering US$2,400 bribe to park rangers of the Tubbataha Management Office who responded to the grounding incident.

Unfair

Gazmin said it may be unfair for the 12 Chinese to be accused as spies.

“Its difficult to just make an accusation. We should have a basis in accusing people or suspecting people. That’s unfair.”

TMO chief Angelique Songco has said they have a low batting average on the conviction of suspected poachers because the “national office” usually pardon the offenders.

“I think that will not happen again,” said Gazmin on the possible pardoning of the 12 crewmen.

“We have laws that should be applied, that will determine if they are going to be set free,” he added.

Military-like posture

An earlier report by radio dzBB’s Palawan affiliate James Viernes also noted the 12 bore a military-like posture during their inquest proceedings earlier this week.

On the other hand, Western Command spokesman Maj. Oliver Banaria said the claim by the 12 Chinese that they wandered into Philippine territory may be hard to believe, as their vessel is a commercial fishing boat.

Banaria said commercial fishing vessels have instruments that would have told the fishermen their location.

"Ito ay commercial fishing boat. Hindi ito lalayag basta lang nang walang instruments. Hindi ito titingin sa bituin," he said in an interview on dzBB radio.

Tubbataha incident unlike Panatag Shoal incursion

Meanwhile, Valte also said the latest Tubbataha incident was different from the Panatag Shoal incursion.

She said efforts are being made to have the owner of the fishing boat, and not the Chinese government, pay for the damage to the reef.

The law decrees that the owner of the ship should pay for the damages, and Philippine authorities’ initial information indicated this was a private fishing boat, Valte noted.

“Wala pa tayong nakikita na evidence to the contrary,” she added.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/303711/news/nation/palace-exec-phl-confirming-if-12-chinese-in-tubbataha-incident-were-spies