Eight Philippine coast guard personnel charged with homicide for the death of a seaman onboard the Taiwanese vessel Kuang Ta Hsing No. 28 were sentenced in absentia to pay NT$3.19 million (US$96,483) to compensate for the expenses incurred by the Pingtung District Prosecutors’ Office, the Pingtung District Court said yesterday.
On May 19, 2013, the Philippine coast guard boat MCS-3001 under the command of Arnold de la Cruz y Enriquez opened fire with automatic rifles on the Taiwanese fishing boat in waters claimed both by Taiwan and the Philippines, killing captain Hung Shih-cheng (洪石成).
The Pingtung District Prosecutors’ Office on Aug. 7, 2013, charged Enriquez and the other coast guard personnel with homicide and brought charges against two other individuals for obstruction of justice.
The defendants were declared wanted on Feb. 27, 2014, by Taiwanese authorities.
The court said the defendants would have to pay the equivalent of NT$3.19 million in damages, with the office having paid that amount to the family of Hung.
The ruling was delivered to the defendants through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines, the court said.
The late captain Hung’s daughter Hung Tzu-chien (洪慈綪) said the ruling held little to no significance.
The judiciary is unable to extradite the eight defendants to stand trial in Taiwan, Hung Tzu-chien said, adding that while the Philippine Department of Justice charged the eight with homicide, they are yet to announce a ruling after three years.
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