Balintang shooting: Court defers arraignment of 7 PCG men

MANILA, Philippines - A Batanes court has deferred the arraignment of seven Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel in connection with the shooting to death of a Taiwanese poacher off Balintang Channel last year.

Assistant state prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera said the arraignment was set yesterday, but the Basco regional trial court reset the hearing pending resolution of the respondents’ motion to dismiss the case.

Navera said Judge Ramon Barona is expected to rule on the plea today. If the court denies the motion, the next hearing would be set for the arraignment of the accused.

The PCG men – Seamen first class Edrando Aguila, Mhelvin Bendo II, Andy Golfo, Sunny Masangcay and Henry Solomon; Seaman second class Nicky Aurello, and Petty Officer 2 Richard Fernandez Corpuz – had asked the court to dismiss the case, claiming the prosecution failed to present evidence showing the Taiwanese victim is dead.

Navera presented to the court a death certificate of victim Hung Shih-cheng during the preliminary conference.

Navera opposed the respondents’ motion and urged the court to resolve the issues in trial.

Another preliminary conference between the two parties will be held today before the court, which had set the pre-trial hearings on Oct. 6 and 7.