Taiwan threatens to freeze hiring of Pinoys over shooting incident at sea




After widespread outrage in Taiwan over the shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by Philippine Coast Guard personnel last Thursday, Taiwan lawmakers are pushing to freeze the hiring of Filipinos who want to work there.

The lawmakers were mulling such action even as President Ma Ying-jeou on Saturday said his country would consider sanctions against the Philippines for the incident, a report from Agence France-Presse said.

Taiwanese authorities said 65-year-old fisherman Hung Shih-cheng was killed during the incident, which also left his boat riddled with more than 50 bullet holes.

"We will definitely seek justice for our fisherman. We will not rule out the possibility of taking any kind of sanctions" against the Philippines, President Ma Ying-jeou  said while inspecting a coast guard drill in central Taiwan.
 
"The Philippines shot an unarmed fishing boat. This is very brutal and cold-blooded," he said, reiterating Taipei's demand for Manila to apologize, apprehend the killer and provide compensation.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo said the incident took place in Philippine waters south of Taiwan and the Filipino personnel had been properly carrying out their duties to stop illegal fishing.
 
"If somebody died, they deserve our sympathy but not an apology," Balilo told reporters.

Hung's son has insisted that the boat did not cross into Philippine waters.
 
The Taipei-based China Times called the incident a "criminal case" and demanded that the Philippine government shoulder the full responsibility.
 
"The Philippines' uncivilized action apparently violated maritime convention, the Taiwan government must take strong counter moves to defend our fishermen's rights and prevent similar tragedy," it said in an editorial.

Apology
 
The Philippines' representative to Taiwan on Saturday personally apologized to the family of a 65-year-old Taiwanese fisherman.

Manila Economic and Cultural Office managing director Antonio Basilio traveled to Hung Shih-cheng's home in Siaoliouchiou Island off Pingtung County in southern Taiwan, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported late Saturday.

"Speaking through an interpreter, Basilio said the incident resulted from a misunderstanding, and he offered an apology and his condolences to the family members over their loss," the report said.  -- Ma. Fe Nicodemus/ Kakammpi

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