Filipino fishermen claim assault by Malaysian Navy

MANILA: Three Filipino fishermen, who claimed they were held and beaten on May 9 by the Malaysian Navy, have urged the Philippine Government to act against those who assaulted them.

Nelson Flamiano, Arlon Sandro and Teody Baisa, all residents of the coastal town of Subic in Zambales, returned home on Saturday, after being held for some hours for allegedly fishing in Malaysian waters.

The trio, who were part of a crew of 22 aboard the F/B Justin Lloyd, said they would file a complaint against the Malaysian naval authorities, according to a report in the Manila Times.

The report quoted F/B Justin Lloyd’s captain Martin Datingginoo as saying they had been fishing along Commodore Reef, or in the vicinity of the Rizal Reef detachment of the Philippine Navy, when they were accosted by Malaysian Navy personnel on May 9.

He said the Malaysians ordered them to stay away from their territorial waters while aiming long firearms at them.

Datingginoo then radioed the nearest Philippine Navy station in Palawan for help, and was told to keep going towards the Philippines Navy detachment nearby.

He instructed three crewmen to go near the Malaysian ship on board a small boat to present their documents, but the fishermen were instead arrested, he claimed.

Baisa told The Manila Times they were handcuffed and made to kneel on the deck of the Malaysian ship while being kicked and punched. They were accused of encroaching into Malaysian waters.

“The weather was so hot and they made us kneel in the ship’s deck, luckily my short is long that my wound was not as bad as the two others,” Flamiano said.

Baisa showed his knees marked with a deep wound, the Manila Times reported.

Flamiano claimed that in kicking and punching them, the Malaysians made sure they didn’t leave marks, and even checked this before releasing the trio.

Biasa insisted that the area they were fishing in for years belonged to the Philippines, and that this was the first time they had been prevented from doing this, the report said.

A Philippine Navy representative met with the fishermen in Subic on Monday and with other local representatives to prepare a formal protest against the Malaysian Navy, the report said.

Meanwhile, the Manila Times added, Philippines officials had contacted their counterparts in the Malaysian Government over the incident.