Slain Taiwan fisher’s son says it was PCG boat that attacked

Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-cheng’s boat, the Kuang Ta Hsing No. 28, is checked by Taiwanese officers after arriving at Liuqiu port in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan, Saturday, May 11, 2013. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–The prosecution’s star witness in the trial of eight Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel tagged in the shooting death of a Taiwanese fisherman off Batanes early this year said it was a Philippine vessel that attacked their boat when he testified in court on Tuesday.

Hong Yu Tzu, son of slain fisherman Hong Shi Cheng, said it was a PCG vessel that chased their fishing boat in the waters of Balintang Channel on May 9.

The PCG men were using Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel MCS-3001 to patrol the waters at the time of the incident, said Assistant Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera, head of the prosecution panel.

Establishment of the fact

“We were able to cover two-thirds of Hong’s testimony. He was able to trace the route of the Guang Da Xing No. 28 [the Taiwanese fishermen’s boat] and identify the MCS-3001 as the boat that attacked it,” said Navera.

“When asked during direct examination, he testified that it was a Philippine boat. That’s important because when Hong testified that it was a Philippine boat, that fact was established,” Navera said.

While Hong did not directly identify the boat by its vessel number and could not identify each of the accused by face, Navera said the witness was positive that it was a Philippine vessel manned by Coast Guard personnel.

“He testified that there were several times the vessels were parallel, very near each other, so much so that he was able to see the Coast Guard men and their guns,” said Navera.

Key witness

Testifying at the Batanes Regional Trial Court for the first time on Nov. 25, Hong also identified in court photos of his father as the one who was slain in the incident.

“I showed him photos of his dead father…at that point, he was crying,” said Navera.

The prosecution considers Hong its key witness, as he was with his father aboard their vessel along with other fishermen at the time of the shooting. Hong, the son, owned the Guang Da Xing and was the boat’s skipper.

During the hearing, Hong testified that bullets from the Philippine vessel damaged his boat’s navigation system and hydraulic pump.

“After the shooting, he was unable to control the vessel….During the hearing, we showed him a detailed map of Balintang Channel and had him trace the route of the Guang Da Xing within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone,” said Navera.

Damaged GPS

“When his GPS locator was damaged, he was no longer able to pinpoint his location,” said the prosecutor.

The prosecution panel flew Hong to the Philippines for the court date. He returned to Taiwan on Nov. 27.

The witness is expected to fly back to continue his testimony and face cross-examination during hearings on Feb. 23 and 24.

Eight PCG officers are on trial for homicide for the elder Hong’s death. They are Commanding Officer Arnold de la Cruz, Seaman 2nd Class Nicky Reynold Aurello, Police Officer 2 Richard Corpuz, and Seamen 1st Class Mhelvin Bendo II, Andy Gibb Golfo, Sunny Masangkay, Henry Solomon and Endrando Aguila.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted the men for allegedly using excessive force as they pursued the Taiwanese fishing vessel while on patrol at Balintang Channel, the Philippine waters bordering Taiwan.

Unexplained absence

The PCG men earlier said they were only performing their duty of patrolling Philippine waters at the time of the incident.

All of the accused except Aguila entered a plea of not guilty when arraigned in court. The court entered a not guilty plea for him after he opted not to enter a plea.

The court has, meanwhile, decided to put Commanding Officer De la Cruz on trial in absentia for his “unexplained absence” in the court proceedings, Navera said.

The Balintang Channel incident frayed relations between the Philippines and Taiwan, with the latter warning of sanctions against the country. Tensions eased after President Aquino apologized to Taiwan for Hong’s death.