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Philippine daily
backs charges over fisherman
IN BEST INTERESTS: The ¡¥Philippine Daily
Inquirer¡¦ said the charges underline Philippine commitment to international law,
on which its territorial claims depend
Staff writer, with CNA
The homicide charges recommended against Philippine Coast Guard officers
involved in the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman in May are consistent
with the country¡¦s national interests, a Philippine newspaper said in an
editorial on Friday.
While the charges recommended by the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation
(NBI) could be unpopular with some Philippine citizens, pursuing them would be
good for the country because it would solidify the Philippines¡¦ commitment to
international law, the Philippine Daily Inquirer said.
¡§The recommended filing of charges by Filipino investigators within the
Philippine justice system is itself an assertion of our territorial
jurisdiction,¡¨ said the Inquirer, one of the country¡¦s three largest English
newspapers.
The editorial said that Manila itself depends on international law to defend its
territorial claims in the South China Sea and resist Beijing¡¦s territorial
encroachments and military provocations.
¡§When it comes to our claim over the West Philippine Sea, our chief opponent is
Beijing, not Taipei,¡¨ the editorial said.
The recommended charges, which have thawed relations between Taipei and Manila,
will also lead to better protection of overseas Philippine workers, whose safety
represents another important national interest, it said.
The Taipei-Manila row was triggered when 65-year-old Hung Shih-cheng (¬x¥Û¦¨), a
fisherman aboard the Taiwanese fishing vessel Kuang Ta Hsing No. 28, was killed
by gunfire from a Philippine Coast Guard vessel on May 9 in waters where the two
countries¡¦ exclusive economic zones overlap.
If the Philippine Department of Justice follows the NBI¡¦s recommendations, made
public on Aug. 7, the coast guard officers charged in the shooting could face
sentences of between 12 and 20 years in prison.
Dissatisfied with Manila¡¦s initial handling of the incident, Taiwan imposed
sanctions against the Philippines.
The sanctions, including a freeze on the hiring of Philippine workers, were
lifted on Thursday after the government said Manila has met Taiwan¡¦s four
demands ¡X a formal apology, punishment of those responsible for the shooting,
compensation for the Hung family and bilateral fishery talks to prevent the
occurrence of similar incidents in the future.
According to Taiwan¡¦s Council of Labor Affairs, the end of 86-day hiring freeze
will allow more than 3,000 Philippine workers to arrive in Taiwan in two weeks
to take up jobs.
This group of workers had obtained job contracts in Taiwan before the hiring
freeze was imposed on May 15. They will become the first group of Philippine
workers to arrive, council officials said.
More than 10,000 Philippine workers were affected by the hiring freeze,
according to the council¡¦s estimates, adding that the freeze cost them an
estimated NT$300 million (US$10.03 million) in lost income in terms of the
minimum monthly wage of NT$19,047.
Minister of Economic Affairs Chang Chia-juch (±i®a¯¬) said a ministerial-level
economic cooperation conference would take place in Manila in the second half of
the year as scheduled.
The Taiwan External Trade Development Council also said it would soon resume
preparations for opening a Taiwan Trade Center in Manila to promote bilateral
trade and economic cooperation.
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