The Philippine Coast Guard has dismissed reports that personnel involved in the shooting incident in Balintang Channel were caught on video “laughing” while firing at a Taiwanese fishing vessel.
Coast Guard Public Affairs chief Commander Armando Balilo said the agency is rejecting information allegedly leaked from insiders in the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). He said the reports were inaccurate and contains hearsay.
The video footage, shot and filmed during the May 9 incident by the crew members of MCS-3001, was submitted to NBI and Taiwanese investigators who were probing the fatal shooting of fishermen Hung Shih-chen. MCS-3001 is jointly manned by Coast Guard personnel and agents of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
Balilo, who personally saw the video, said that “laughing” and “smiling” are two different acts and insisted that those two acts didn’t have the same meaning. Balilo insisted that there was no footage from the two-hour video showing the personnel laughing while firing at the fishing vessel. He said a member of the crew was seen smiling at himself while firing a warning shot.
Another official from the Coast Guard who also saw the entire video but refused to be identified said the personnel suddenly stopped and just smiled when his firearm jammed. “When he noticed that the weapon he was firing suddenly stopped (firing), he just smiled and took the situation lightly instead of panicking. But that gesture does not mean that he was not taking the situation seriously and was just doing it for fun”, the official said.
Meanwhile, Balilo appealed to the members of the media not to believe unconfirmed reports, adding it will only worsen relations between the Philippines and Taiwan.
“The Coast Guard is a professional organization. We will abide by and respect the findings of the NBI team. If our men are found guilty…of violating the rules of engagement, then they need to face the consequences and defend themselves for their action in court”, Balilo said.
The Coast Guard said the situation they are facing will not stop them from their duty to implement maritime laws thus, they will still continue go after foreign poachers that will attempt to conduct illegal activities inside the archipelagic waters of the country.-JC Cahinhinan
