DOJ chief slams Taiwan ‘murder’ claim

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila De Lima on Monday questioned the conclusion made by Taiwanese investigators that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) murdered a Taiwanese fisherman off Bashi Strait in the northern Philippines.

De Lima’s remarks echoed Malacañang’s position that rejected the conclusion of a team of investigators from Taiwan that says the Taiwanese fishermen was “murdered.”

Over the weekend, Chen Wen-Chi, head of the Taiwan probe team, said that Philippine law enforcers were intentionally shooting the Guang Ta Hsin 28 crew members that led to the death of one of its fisherman, Hung Shih-chen.

Chen said Hung died from a single gunshot wound to the neck.

Most of the bullets fired at Hung’s boat hit the cockpit where the crew hid as the Filipino coast guards strafed the fishing vessel, Chen said.

This showed that the law enforces were “intentionally’’ shooting at the Taiwanese crew men, indicating their “intent of murder,’’ Chen said.

But DOJ chief begged to disagree. “Premature pa yang ganyang conclusion (That’s a premature conclusion). How can we say that when we have yet to inspect all the evidence,” De Lima said at a press conference Monday.

“We can neither confirm nor reject murder because there is no such conclusion yet,” De Lima said.

Parallel investigation on the death of Hung Shih-Chen is currently being conducted by the Philippines and Taiwanese authorities.

The Taiwanese probers met with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Monday morning and asked if they can inspect the vessel used by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) at the shooting incident last May 9 as well as inspect the firearms used by the PCG.

During the meeting, Taiwanese probers also allowed the NBI investigators to inspect the fishing vessel in Taiwan and talk to the companions of the fisherman as well as the possibility of conducting a re-autopsy of the victim’s body.

“There is no joint probe but both authorities are undertaking respective investigations…Proper collaboration will be made. It is understood that neither side will be interfering with the other,” she said.

She said the NBI is already getting ready to go to Taiwan although there is no definite date yet.