AFP will make Navy personnel involved in incident with Vietnamese vessel available for investigation

September 25, 2017

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) assures the Philippine Navy will make their personnel involved in the death of two Vietnamese fishermen and arrest of  five  Vietnamese fishermen off the waters of Pangasinan available in the investigation of the incident.

“There is an ongoing inquiry by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine Navy (PN) on the circumstances surrounding the incident,” Col. Edgard Arevalo, AFP Public Affairs Office chief, said in a statement Monday.

“The Philippine Navy is making its personnel available on-call for the inquiry to shed light on the incident,” he added.

Citing reports reaching Camp Aguinaldo, Arevalo said the two Vietnamese fishermen were found dead inside the Vietnamese fishing vessel.

“Initial reports reaching General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City indicates that two Vietnamese fishermen were found dead in their vessel during the Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) procedure done by the Philippine Navy personnel on the foreign vessel,” he said.

Lt. Jose Covvarubias, Naval Forces Northern Luzon Public Affairs officer, said the Philippine Navy arrested five other crewmen.

Arevalo said the Vietnamese fishing vessel was allegedly conducting illegal fishing off the waters of Bolinao, Pangasinan when they were spotted by the Philippine Navy personnel on board BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19).

“We were saddened by the incident that transpired in the vicinity 34 nautical miles of Cape Bolinao, Pangasinan that happened on 23 September 2017 at around 1 o’clock in the morning between a Philippine Navy ship PS-19 and a Vietnamese fishing vessel,” he said.

“Before the VBSS, the Navy ship gave chase to the said fishing vessel that was spotted (along with five other fishing vessels) to be illegally fishing near Bolinao, Pangasinan,” he added.

In a press statement, the Pangasinan Provincial Police said the fishing vessel was chased by the PS-19 after it tried to escape.

“Despite of numerous and repeated calls thru marine band radio and megaphone to stop from fleeing, said vessel disregarded the calls and made dangerous maneuvers.. Apparently, the said vessel refused to yield instead attempted to escape wherein after a brief chase towards the vessel,” the report said.

“At that juncture, the Vietnamese vessel veered into its starboard side hitting the portside of the Navy vessel. Thereafter, the Vietnamese vessel continued to flee then after minutes of chase, the Vietnamese vessel suddenly stopped,” it added.

The report also noted that according to the Vietnamese crew the bodies of the two fishermen were taken from the stockroom which was situated at the bow side of the vessel.

It noted that during the investigation, “it was also ascertained that said Vietnamese vessel incurred six bullets holes on its bow (storage), portside and stern portion. Furthermore, it was noticed that the cadavers bore gunshot wounds.”

The fatalities were identified as Le Van Reo and Le Van Liem, one of them sustained gunshot wound at the back left ear while the other has wounds on the chin, chest and back body.

“SOCO Team from Provincial Crime Laboratory Office, Lingayen, Pangasinan processed the said Vietnamese fishing vessels (that was towed toward Sual, Pangasinan last Sunday) and was able to recover two deformed and fragmented fired bullets and one deformed and fragmented bullet jacket,” the report said.

The police identified the five arrested crew members as Pham To, 34, boat captain; Phan Lam, 34, Nguyen Thanh Chi, 49, Phan Van Liem, 41, and Nguyen Van Trong, 41, all fishermen and all residents of Phu Yen province, Vietnam.

The report said the bodies of the Vietnamese fishermen are at Bani Funeral Homes, Bani, Pangasinan for autopsy, while the arrested crew members were brought at Western District Hospital, Alaminos City for medical examination and will be put into custody of Bolinao police station for proper investigation and disposition.

Authorities found “five pieces of big yellow fin tuna with more or less 250 kilos and one sack of dried squid more or less 50 kilos were caught with the use of superlight and long line hook (kitang) with an aggregate amount of P 78,000.00” inside the fishing vessel. Robina Asido/DMS