Homicide raps to be filed vs PH coast guard personnel over Taiwan fisherman's death - DOJ

From InterAksyon (Mar 18): Homicide raps to be filed vs PH coast guard personnel over Taiwan fisherman's death - DOJ

After nearly a year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday finally said it would soon file homicide and obstruction of justice charges against eight personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard who figured in a confrontation with a Taiwanese fishing vessel off Balintang Channel leading to the death of Taiwanese fisherman, Hong Shi Cheng.

Accordign to the DOJ, there is probable cause to charge Commanding Officer Arnold Enriquez Dela Cruz, Seaman 1st Class (SN1) Edrando Quiapo Aguila, SN1 Mhelvin Aguilar Bendo II. SN1 Andy Gibb Ronario Golfo, SN1 Sunny Galang Masangcay, SN1 Henry Baco Solomon, SN2 Nicky Renold Aurelio and Petty Officer 2 Richard Fernandez Corpuz with homicide for the death of the Taiwanese fisherman.

“The respondents all acted in unison with the common purpose of firing at the Guang Da Xing 28 (the Taiwanese fishing vessel) to force it to submit to MCS-3001’s inspection (the vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources which was manned by the said Coast Guard personnel)," stated the department's 79-page resolution.

"Conspiracy was established by the National Bureau of Investigation when it presented the fact that orders were given and the orders were obeyed and efficiently implemented with fatal consequences,” the resolution said.

It added that there is no evidence to show that the Guang Da Xing posed a grave danger to the MCS 3001 and its respondents before and during the sea chase, adding that the DOJ found the self-defense claim of the respondents flimsy.

But the DOJ said the resolution should not be construed as a license for Taiwanese fishermen to illegally enter the country’s territorial water and poach marine resources there.

Aside from the homicide charges, the DOJ also said obstruction charges would be filed against Dela Cruz and Bendo for their role in the preparation and submission of a falsified monthly gunner report on May 11, 2013.

But the DOJ junked another obstruction charges against Dela Cruz, SN1 Ramirez, Bendo and Lt. Junior Grade Martin Bernabe in relation to the deletion of video clips of the incident.

The homicide charges will be filed before the trial court of Batanes while the obstruction cases will be at the Cagayan municipal court.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/82982/homicide-raps-to-be-filed-vs-ph-coast-guard-personnel-over-taiwan-fishermans-death---doj