Taiwan to PH: Respond or face hiring freeze

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Taiwan threatens a hiring freeze if the Philippines does not explain fisherman's death within 72 hours

TAIWAN'S ULTIMATUM. Taiwan gives the Philippines 72 hours to respond on the matter of a Taiwanese fisherman's death.

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE 2) – Taiwan’s discussion on the possibility of imposing sanctions against the Philippines has ended, and the result is an ultimatum.

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou issued a 72-hour ultimatum late Saturday evening, May 11, demanding that the Philippines respond to Taiwan’s requests over the death of a Taiwanese fisherman or face a hiring freeze for Filipino workers seeking employment in Taiwan.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) admitted that they fired at a Taiwanese fishing vessel Thursday, May 9. Taiwanese authorities said 65-year-old fisherman Hung Shih-cheng was killed in the incident, which also left the boat riddled with more than 50 bullet holes.

The Focus Taiwan News Channel reports that Garfie Li, the Taiwanese presidential spokeswoman, said that Manila has 72 hours to offer a positive response regarding the fisherman’s death. If the Philippines does not respond positively in the time period, “the applications of Filipino laborers will be suspended.”

The report adds that if the ultimatum is not attended to adequately, Taiwan will also recall its representative in the Philippines and ask Philippines’ representative in Taiwan to go back to Manila.

Prior to this ultimatum, Antonio Basilio, managing director of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taipei, visited the family of slain Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-cheng offering his condolences for Hung’s death and apologizing for the incident. It is unclear at present if the ultimatum was done with knowledge of this apology.

PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo earlier justified the shooting by saying, “They fired at the machinery to disable it… if somebody died, they deserve our sympathy but not an apology.”

Philippine Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte also told a government radio station earlier that a “transparent and impartial investigation” into the event was launched.

She expressed hopes that economic ties with Taipei will not be affected and added that the coastguard crew involved in the incident have been temporarily suspended to ensure a fair probe.

“Let’s wait for the investigation,” Aquino’s spokesman Ricky Carandang told AFP when asked to comment on Taiwan’s sanctions threat.

Hung’s son has insisted that the boat did not cross into Philippine waters.

The Taipei-based China Times called the incident a “criminal case” and demanded Manila shoulder the full responsibility.

“The Philippines’ uncivilized action apparently violated maritime convention, the Taiwan government must take strong counter moves to defend our fishermen’s rights and prevent similar tragedy,” it said in an editorial.

The Apple Daily newspaper called the shooting “an act of brigands” and said Taiwanese people “angrily demand the blood debt be paid”.

Some Taiwanese Internet users allegedly attacked and temporarily paralyzed several Philippine government websites Friday night (May 10), according to Apple Daily.

GMA News adds that Taiwan has withdrawn invitations to Manila and Quezon to participate in the annual dragon boat contest of Taiwan’s Dragon Boat festival on June 12.

The incident comes at a time of heightened tensions around the region over rival claims to the nearby South China Sea.

China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have competing claims to parts of the sea. – Rappler.com, with reports from Agence France-Presse

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