Taiwanese lawyer: Slugs recovered from Taiwanese vessel, fisherman match 2 PHL Coast Guard guns

A Taiwanese lawyer has claimed that two guns submitted by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) matched three slugs recovered from the Taiwanese fishing vessel and the remains of the fisherman killed in a shooting incident in disputed waters early this month.

A report by GMA News' John Consulta on GMA News TV's Balitanghali on Friday quoted  district attorney Chih Ming Hsieh of the Pingtung District Prosecutor's Office as saying that the findings were based on the ballistics cross matching done by a team from the National Bureau of Investigation in Taiwan.

There were a total of 14 guns submitted by the PCG and 42 test slugs brought by the NBI from their ballistic examinations, according to Consulta's report. Consulta is reporting from Taiwan.

But the Taiwanese lawyer declined to divulge information on the type of guns that matched the slugs but said the results will make it easier to identify the one responsible for the shooting incident.

 

On May 9, a 65-year-old fisherman suspected of poaching was fatally shot by Coast Guard personnel at the Balintang Channel in northern Philippines. Taiwan, however, said that satellite records show their fishermen were within Taiwanese territory.

 

Complaint

The same television report quoted Chih Mingh Hsieh as saying that they will be forwarding a copy of the complaint from the Taiwanese fisherman's family to the NBI and the Manila Economic and Cultural Office.

 

Although mum when asked if this means the family is formally filing a case with the NBI, the lawyer replied that the vicitm's family only wants to receive all support and legal assistance to attain justice for their relative.

 

He said the people who will be eventually charged may talk to the appointed representative of the Taiwanese government in the Philippines if the case starts rolling in Taiwan.

 

On Thursday, the NBI and Taiwanese investigation team shared with each other their findings on their parallel probe.

 

Meanwhile, lead NBI investigator Atty. Daniel Deganzo went to the Taiwanese Ministry of Justice on Friday to formally thank them for their cooperation during the invesigation.

 

Deganzo was also grateful that the Taiwanese lent them their high tech equipment which cut their investigation time initially estimated at 2 weeks to a little over a couple of hours.

 

The evidence gathered by the NBI team was contained in four envelopes.

 

Deganzo promised that the final report will be impartial and will only be based on the physical evidence they have gathered.

 

Results are expected to be released next week. — Andrei Medina/RSJ, GMA News