Navy boat captain relieved over Pangasinan sea collision

2 Vietnamese fishers dead 

BOLINAO, Pangasinan -- The captain and crew members of a Philippine Navy patrol boat that figured in a collision with a Vietnamese fishing vessel in waters off this town last week have been relieved from their posts.

Two Vietnamese fishermen were found dead after an exchange of gunfire reportedly occurred between the two vessels.

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Eduardo and Navy chief Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado ordered the relief of the captain of BRP Miguel Malvar to pave the way for an impartial investigation into the incident, according to Col. Edgard Arevalo, AFP public affairs office chief.

“The rest of the patrol boat’s crewmembers were restricted on the Navy ship to ensure their availability during the investigation,” Arevalo said.

He refused to identify the Navy boat captain.

The Vietnamese fishermen were found dead on their boat while five others were arrested after a chase with a Philippine Navy patrol vessel ended in a collision in the waters off this town Sept. 16.

The Navy was on its way to Subic when it spotted six Vietnamese fishing boats allegedly poaching in the coastal waters of this town shortly before midnight.

The boats were reportedly using “very bright lights.”

The Navy approached the boats, but one of them switched off the light and sped off, prompting a chase.

The boat reportedly rammed the Navy patrol vessel.

Authorities boarded and searched the Vietnamese boat, where they found the bodies lying on the deck and arrested five others.

Pangasinan police director Senior Supt. Ronald Lee identified the fatalities as Le Van Liem and Le Van Reo, both 41.

Arrested were boat captain Pham To, 34, and crewmembers Phan Lam, 34; Nguyen Thanh Chi, 49; Phan Van Liem, 41, and Nguyen Van Trong, 41.

The five Vietnamese were turned over to the local police and would be charged with poaching, Lt. Jose Covarrubias, spokesman for the Naval Forces Northern Luzon, said.

It is not clear how the two Vietnamese died, but initial reports showed there was an exchange of gunfire.

The cadavers bore gunshot wounds. 

Covarrubias said they were verifying the information.

Malacañang assured the government of Vietnam that a fair and thorough probe would be conducted on the incident.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano relayed to Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh the Palace’s assurance on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York Monday.

Probers from the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine National Police have been deployed to Pangasinan to look into the incident.

The team found six bullet holes on the boat’s bow, portside and stern. 

Five large yellowfin tuna, a sack of dried squid and a hook line were also found on the boat. – With a report from Eva Visperas and AFP