After nearly a week-long investigation in the Philippines, the Taiwanese team probing the May 9 killing of a fisherman left Manila on Friday with the most contentious piece of evidence – a purported video of the incident recorded by the Philippine Coast Guard.
The video may or may not be the smoking gun that will prove innocence or guilt. Both Philippine and Taiwanese authorities are mum about its specific contents, although Philippine officials have suggested the video will support their contention that the Coast Guard fired in self-defense and that the Taiwan boat was inside Philippine territorial waters.
Asked what the particular purpose of the Taiwanese team was in getting a copy of the video, Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) chairman Amadeo Perez said: "Maybe they need it for them to complete their investigation."
Apart from the video provided by the Coast Guard, the Taiwanese team carried with them various documents and testimonies they obtained from their four-day investigation in Manila.
"Iyong video (na) ibinigay ay pinakita muna uli sa Coast Guard at kinopya at signed by Coast Guard," Perez said. He added that the Department of Justice (DOJ) gave the permission to give the Taiwanese a copy of the video for the sake of "transparency."
The seven Taiwanese investigators and prosecutors left Manila at 10:30 a.m. via China Air, he said.
Bone of contention
The only known recording of the tragedy was a major bone of contention between the two sides. The Taiwanese had refused to grant visas to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) team of probers before the Philippine government agreed to turn over a copy of the video.
The fatal shooting that occurred in disputed waters north of the Philippine mainland has severely damaged Philippine-Taiwan relations.
Both sides agreed to a "parallel probe," rather than the joint investigation demanded by Taiwan. An NBI team that went to Taiwan at the same time that the Taiwanese team was in Manila will wrap up their visit Friday as well.
The Taiwanese probers made no comment on the results of the ballistics tests they did on the firearms of the Coast Guard personnel that engaged the Taiwanese, as well as on their interviews with those involved and their viewing of the video.
NBI team in Taiwan
Meanwhile, Perez said the eight-man NBI team is scheduled to leave Taiwan on Friday afternoon. The team, which flew to Taiwan last Monday, was led by NBI foreign liaison division chief Daniel Deganzo.
Perez said the team will be coming home with another video related to the incident.
"I am sure kumuha sila [NBI team] ng kopya ng video footage ng autopsy ng Taiwanese medico-legal on the victim," he said.
The MECO chief said the NBI investigators would be bringing home documents and testimonies of the three companions of the victim: the fishing vessel's captain, the victim's brother, and an Indonesian companion.
Perez said the NBI team inspected the slugs recovered from the Taiwanese fishing vessel, but said he was not sure if the team was allowed to take some of the slugs back to the Philippines.
Parallel but independent probes
According to a report from Unang Balita's Mav Gonzales, NBI head Nonato Rojas clarified that the results of the investigation of the Philippine and Taiwan teams may vary.
“Ang resulta natin ng NBI ay base sa ating sariling assessment at evaluation ng evidence. Although we shared the evidence, we also inspected in Taiwan and the Philippines pero kanya-kanya naman kami ng resulta, kanya-kanya naman kami ng evalutaion,” Rojas explained in a media conference Thursday night.
He added that teams conducted parallel probes and not a joint investigation, meaning the results will be independent.
He also maintained that the NBI will stand by their findings.
Officials from the Taiwanese investigative team were present during the media conference with Rojas on Thursday.
According to the Taiwanese probers, their investigation in the Philippines went smoothly as they managed to gather the evidence and information they sought. The Taiwanese thanked the NBI and the Justice department for their cooperation.
The Taiwanese are expected to release a final report indicating their recommendation in a few days.
Interviews of Coast Guard, BFAR men
The Taiwanese probers interviewed 17 Philippine Coast Guard personnel and three Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources personnel from Wednesday to Thursday.
Immediately after arriving in Manila last Monday, Taiwanese investigators conducted a ballistics exam of the firearms used by Coast Guard personnel. On Tuesday, the team inspected the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel that confronted the group of the victim, who was allegedly caught fishing in Philippine waters.
The NBI team in Taiwan confirmed that the Taiwanese fishing vessel had at least 40 bullet holes.
Taiwan has insisted that their fishermen were in Taiwan's exclusive economic zone, not in disputed waters.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Taiwanese probers reviewed a two-hour video of the May 9 incident.
Taiwan-Philippines row
The PCG claims that the incident occurred in the Philippines' Balintang Channel, but Taiwan said satellite records show that their fishermen were within Taiwanese territory.
After saying the initial apology of the Philippines for the incident was insincere, the Taiwanese government issued an order freezing the hiring of new Filipino workers.
Taiwan had demanded an apology from the Philippine government, compensation for the family of the slain fisherman, an impartial investigation of the incident, and new fisheries talks between Taiwan and the Philippines.
Taiwan also recalled its envoy to Manila in protest of the killing, while ordering the Philippine representative to leave Taipei.
The death of the fisherman triggered public outrage in Taiwan, with OFWs suffering harassment and in some cases, violent attacks.
Taiwan's president has appealed to the Taiwanese not to vent their anger on Filipino migrant workers who had nothing to do with the incident.
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