Philippine official denies mistreatment of Taiwan's fishing vessel crew

Manila/Taipei, May 24 (CNA) A Filipino official from Manila has denied allegations of mistreatment of crew members during the recent boarding of a Taiwanese fishing vessel by Philippine authorities in disputed waters.

Nazario Briguera, a spokesperson for the Philippines' Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), told CNA on Friday that BFAR law enforcement officers "observed the proper boarding protocols" when they boarded the Taiwanese vessel Sheng Yu Feng (昇漁豐號) and later towed it to the Basco Port in the Philippines.

Briguera's comments came a day after the Taiwanese captain of the Sheng Yu Feng, Chen Tsung-tun (陳宗頓), held a press conference in Pingtung County and accused the Philippine authorities of mistreatment during the boarding of his vessel on May 19.

Chen said he and his four Indonesian crew members were asleep when 12 armed officers from a Philippine government vessel suddenly boarded without prior warning.

According to Chen, those law enforcement personnel "acted like Somali pirates," confiscating not only his catch but also personal belongings -- losses he estimated at NT$300,000 (US$10,019).

Speaking with CNA on Friday, Briguera denied those claims, saying, "There is no truth to that."

The official said the Taiwanese vessel was "engaged in actual fishing within the territorial sea of the Philippines" and that BFAR officers had "acted professionally" during the inspection and apprehension.

"The Philippines is committed to respect[ing] the maritime territory of other countries, so we expect other countries to do the same," Briguera added.

Chen, however, has maintained that his vessel had been operating within the overlapping Taiwan-Philippines exclusive economic zone (EEZ), but outside the Philippines' contiguous zone, which extends 12 to 24 nautical miles off its coast.

Taiwan's Fisheries Agency said on Friday it had reviewed navigational records of the Sheng Yu Feng and found that the vessel was operating within the overlapping waters.

It said the vessel did not enter Philippine territorial seas and hence did not violate the fisheries agreement signed between Taiwan and the Philippines in 2015.

According to the agency, the Sheng Yu Feng and its crew were released without penalties in the afternoon of May 19 after Taiwan lodged a diplomatic protest through official channels.

The agency added that to ensure the safety of Taiwanese fishing vessels, it had asked the Coast Guard Administration to step up patrols in the region.

Meanwhile, Chen and his family have urged the Taiwanese government to investigate the incident, citing provisions in the 2015 agreement that required both sides to avoid using violence or unnecessary force during law enforcement actions.