Phl has exclusive jurisdiction over Mindoro collision - Palace
The Philippines will not allow foreigners to intrude into the probe on the collision between a Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship and a Philippine fishing boat in the vicinity of Occidental Mindoro, Malacañang said yesterday.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the Philippines has exclusive jurisdiction over the investigation because the incident last weekend happened in Philippine waters.
“We will not allow foreign
From Page 1 entities to exercise criminal jurisdiction and civil jurisdiction over a matter that the Philippine authorities have exclusive jurisdiction,” Roque told ANC.
“This is being proceeded against as an issue involving Philippine jurisdiction. I think it is less controversial because it happened clearly within Philippine waters. This will be investigated by the (Maritime Industry Authority), by the Coast Guard,” he added.
The Palace spokesman said the prosecutor would conduct a preliminary investigation and file a case before a local court if there is “criminal responsibility” in the incident.
“Insofar as the damages are concerned, it will be proceeded as an admiralty case falling within the regional trial court of Mindoro, so this is an issue of enforcement of Philippine laws, although it involves a collision where one of them is a foreign flagship,” he said.
“But since it occurred in Philippine waters, it will be Philippine courts that will determine both criminal and civil liability,” he added.
Fourteen Filipinos went missing after fishing boat F/V Liberty 5 collided with Hong Kong vessel M/V Vienna Wood at midnight last Sunday off the province’s Mamburao town.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is now searching for the missing persons, 12 of whom are crewmembers of the fishing boat.
The Chinese embassy in Manila has offered to help Philippine authorities probe the incident and expressed hope that the missing persons would be rescued soon.
It has also called on critics to “refrain from politicizing the issue.”
In the same interview, Roque expressed confidence that the close relationship between the Philippines and China would enable fishermen of the 2019 Recto Bank incident to collect civil damages.