PNP assures safety of Taiwanese visitors in PH

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine National Police (PNP) has called on foreign tourists in the country Wednesday to report immediately if their safety is being put into risk.

Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo, PNP spokesman, issued the statement Wednesday as he assured that they will safeguard Taiwanese tourists and all other foreigners staying in the Philippines amid growing tension between the Philippines and Taiwan over the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman by Philippine patrol boats in the Balintang Channel.

“Kasama sa inaalagaan natin . . . ang mga foreign tourist . . . and that includes mga kapatid natin from Taiwan,” Cerbo told reporters in Camp Crame.

(Among those we have to protect are foreign tourists and Taiwanese in the country.)

He said foreign visitors can file their complaints on any kind of abuse before the PNP’s Tourist Assistance Desks located at selected areas flocked by foreign tourists such as Boracay and Tagaytay.

“Kung makaka-encounter sila ng problema [and] if they feel na may threat sila . . . approach this desk and at isumbong nila. Mabilis na tutgon ang PNP,” the police spokesman said.

(If they would run into a problem and feel they are being threatened…approach thess desks and file a complaint. The PNP will immediately act on this.

Anti-Manila sentiment has mounted in Taiwan after a 65-year-old fisherman was shot dead earlier this month by members of the Philippine Coast Guard who claimed his vessel had intruded into the Philippine territorial waters.

Taiwan has rejected Manila’s claims that the shooting took place in Philippine waters and that the killing was “unintended”. President Ma Ying-jeou has described the incident as “cold-blooded murder”.

Taiwan has announced a series of economic sanctions against the Philippines, demanding Manila offer a formal government apology and compensation for the fisherman’s family, and launch a joint investigation into the incident.