PN denies involvement in shooting of Taiwanese fisherman

From the Philippine News Agency (May 10): PN denies involvement in shooting of Taiwanese fisherman

The Philippine Navy (PN) on Friday announced that it has no involvement in the incident wherein a Taiwanese fisherman was shot and killed off the West Philippine Sea (WPS) last Thursday.

"The PN denies any involvement in, much as it were saddened by, the news about an incident where a Taiwanese fisherman was reportedly shot and the wound led to his death," Navy spokesperson for the WPS issues Col. Edgard Arevalo said.

He added that all vessels assigned to Naval Forces Northern Luzon (NFNL), which has jurisdiction over the WPS, are in port or in Subic, Zambales or Sual, Pangasinan at the time of the alleged shooting.

(Per the daily operational report of NFNL chief Commodore Nodolfo Tejada) On 10: 30 p.m. May 9, all Navy vessels under his command are in port or in Subic, Zambales or Sual, Pangasinan," Arevalo stressed.

He added that the PN is now conducting its own verification of the incident.

Taiwan on Thursday demanded an apology from the Philippine government as it condemned the shooting of a Taiwanese fishing boat by a Philippine vessel that killed at least one fisherman in disputed waters.

The slain fisherman was identified as Hung Shih-cheng, 65.

The Taiwanese boat "Kuang Ta Hsing No. 28" was some 170 nautical miles off the southern coast of Taiwan at the time, and was seriously damaged.

Aside from an apology, Taiwan demanded that the Philippine government identify those responsible and make compensation for the losses.

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