PCG officer in Balintang shooting pleads not guilty

BASCO , Philippines   – The skipper of the ship involved in the shooting and killing of a Taiwanese fisherman off Balintang channel last year pleaded not guilty to homicide charges yesterday.

Judge Ramon Barona of Batanes regional trial court Branch 13 is hearing the case.

Coastguardsman Arnold de la Cruz is expected to present his first witness on Sept. 7.

Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera said the court has set preliminary conference on the case on Sept. 1 and 2 and pre-trial hearings    on Oct. 6 and 7.

De la Cruz’s seven co-accused did not enter any plea as they have two pending petitions before the Supreme Court (SC) for review and change of venue.

They are Seamen First Class Edrando Agila, Mhelvin Bendo II, Andy Golfo, Sunny Masangkay, and Henry Solomon; Seaman Second Class Nicky Reynaldo Aurelio and Petty Officer Second Class Richard Fernandez Corpuz.

Their lawyer, Rodrigo Moreno, asked the SC to order the transfer of their cases to any court in Manila.

“It would be a great inconvenience on their part to look and present their witnesses and evidence for their defense in the hearing in Batanes,” Moreno said.

“Under the rules, the proceedings in the court are automatically suspended with the filing of the petition for review. So we will have to wait for the decision of the DOJ and see what happens in the next hearing.”

The court has deferred their arraignment.

Government prosecutors agreed with the manifestation of De la Cruz’s lawyer,  Ernesto Cabrera, for a relative of slain   fisherman Hung Shih Cheng to be present in court.

The prosecutors are Alexander Suarez, Josie Christina Dugoy, Juan Pedro Navera, Wilfredo Garrido Jr., Paul Jomar Alcudia, and Amelito Antonio Velasco.

De la Cruz, Bendo and Aurelio are also facing charges of obstruction of justice before the Sta. Ana, Cagayan Municipal Trial Court.

They are accused of submitting tampered video footage of the shooting and giving false information to the National Bureau of Investigation regarding the number of bullets fired during the incident.

During preliminary investigation, all eight accused denied the homicide charges.

Last May 7, the coastguardsmen surrendered and posted bail before the Manila RTC after the Batanes and Cagayan court issued arrest warrants against them. – With Edu Punay