VIETNAMESE FISHERMEN’S CASE

LINGAYEN – The Sub-Task Group on Investigation (STGI) created by the Provincial Committee on Illegal Entrants (PCIE) has submitted its recommendations during the fourth and final case conference on the deaths of two Vietnamese fishermen involving Philippine Navy personnel, 34 nautical miles off Cape Bolinao, this province.

Capt. Joseph Coyme of the Philippine Coast Guard and head of the STGI, said after a careful and thorough investigation, findings were substantially established and recommendations were proposed. Recommendations were categorized according to immediate, mid-term and long term actions.

The immediate recommendations include: (1) Referral to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for the immediate repatriation of the two (2) Vietnamese cadavers to Vietnam; (2) Provide the Vietnamese embassy a copy of the investigation report, copy furnished the DFA, with the view of showing good faith, transparency, objectivity and impartiality of the Philippine government’s effort in resolving this impasse and reference for future action;

The third recommendation is to furnish the Philippine Navy (PN) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) a copy of the Investigation Report for their reference.

Recommendation number four is to refer to the Philippine Navy the filing of appropriate case against the two PN officers and eight enlisted personnel.

On the shooting incident, STGI established that the incident was an act of unnecessary inadvertence on the part of Navy operatives when the gunner miscalculated in firing the warning shots across the bow of the fleeing Vietnamese fishing boats, thereby hitting two Vietnamese fishermen hiding in the forward cargo compartment of the vessel during that fateful early morning of September 23, 2017.

The IR also states that with the foregoing fishery law, the PN will file poaching case against the five arrested Vietnamese fishermen for poaching in the Philippine waters exclusive economic zone to BFAR by which the latter would adjudicate the case.

PCIE spokesperson and Police Provincial Director Sr. Superintendent Ronald Lee thanked the members of the STGI for a “transparent, impartial and honest-to-goodness” investigation on the case.

“It was a delicate case but it was handled the way it should be handled. All pieces of evidence and persons of interest were accessible… the results are here,” Lee said.

Lee said the PCIE will endorse the investigation report and recommendations to the Regional Committee on Illegal Entrants (RCIE).

Meanwhile, Lee said the cadavers of the two Vietnamese nationals named Le Van Reo and Phan Van Liem were transported to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on October 6 for their scheduled flight at 10 p.m. on the same day.  Joint personnel of the Police, Navy and Marines provided security and escort during the transport.

Tran Dung Minh, representative of the Vietnamese embassy and interpreter of the group, informed the PNP that the flight was safe and the cadavers have been brought to their hometown Tuy Hoa, Phu Yen in Vietnam. (PIA-Pangasinan/ VHS)

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