The Regional Trial Court of Manila has just decided the homicide case involving the shooting of the Taiwanese captain of Taiwanese fishing vessel Guang Da Xing No. 28, wherein all the accused officers of PCG (Philippine Coast Guard) were found guilty as charged. The Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) welcomes the verdict, and expresses its gratitude and respect to the Philippine judicial system.
The shooting incident occurred on 9 May 2013, in the overlapping exclusive economic zones (EEZs) between Taiwan and the Philippines. An unarmed Taiwan fishing vessel was chased and attacked by the Philippine government vessel, wherein the Taiwanese captain, 65-year-old Hong Shi Cheng, was shot and killed by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel. The Philippine government vessel then apparently ran away after the shooting.
The Philippine prosecution duly inspected and presented all the pertinent evidences from the Criminal Investigation Bureau of Taiwan and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of the Philippines. The case involved 8 officers of the PCG, including Commander Arnold Dela Cruz. Per evidence presented by the Philippine prosecutors, it was clear that the PCG officers were guilty of the crime of homicide, as well as blatantly disregarding applicable international law, which is universally accepted by the global community, including the Philippines.
Taking into account the ancient proverb that, “a close neighbor is more important than a brother who is far away,” Taiwan and the Philippines have long been important close neighbors. Today, the long-awaited justice in this shooting incident was served, but it was a hard and a bitter experience for both countries. We now have to move on from this tragic incident, and determine how to further enhance the bilateral relationship between our two countries. In 2015, both countries signed a Fisheries Law Enforcement Agreement that has helped boost bilateral cooperation in fisheries law enforcement matters. Since then, annual technical meetings are held between both sides to avoid any conflict again in the future. May the verdict in this case serve, not only as a symbol of justice, but also a testament to the solid relationship and deep mutual trust between Taiwan and the Philippines.
