Malaysia acts on reports of abuse vs 3 PH fishermen

SUBIC, Zambales—The three Filipino fishermen, who reported being beaten up while under Malaysian Navy custody on May 9, offered to testify after the government announced it had contacted the Malaysian government about the incident at sea.

In a television news program on Thursday morning, Foreign Secretary Rene Almendras said the Malaysian government has expressed regrets for the abuse of Odelin Baisa, Nelson Plamiano and Arlon Sandro, and had promised to prosecute the navy personnel who beat them up aboard a Navy vessel.

The three were detained by Malaysian authorities for fishing in Malaysia’s territorial waters, southwest of the Philippines, but the fishermen insist that they were about 17 nautical miles from the Rizal (Commodore) Reef.

“We’re happy that the Malaysian government has started acting on our complaint. This is an indication that we will get justice,” Baisa said on Thursday.

Baisa said they could still recall the faces of the Malaysian navy personnel and would be able to identify them if they see them in person.

“We are determined to file charges against the Malaysians who beat us up because we don’t want that incident to happen again,” he said.

During the TV interview, Almendras said, “[The Malaysian government] has informed us that they are already in the process of [preparing] punishments for the people who did it in any form, whether agitated or not. Beating up [our countrymen] is not acceptable.”

The fishermen said they were handcuffed, slapped, punched and kicked in the chest by about 20 Malaysian navy men.

According to Almendras, the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia has coordinated with Malaysian authorities to ensure that the complaint of the fishermen would be

addressed.

“Discussion on the compensation of the fishermen is also in the advance stage,” Almendras said. Allan Macatuno, Inquirer Central Luzon