By Harry L. Roque, Jr.
Chair, Center for International Law
The recent shooting by the Philippine Coast guard of a lone Taiwanese fisherman illustrates the kind of governmental response that we Filipinos deserve when we ourselves fall victims to an internationally wrongful act. Under international law, there is state responsibility for an internationally wrongful act where there is a breach of international law and when the breach is attributable to the state. Here, it appears that because the killing was because of a shot fired by a state organ, a member of the Philippine Coast Guard, that the killing may be attributed to the Philippines government. Acts of state organs, no matter how lowly their ranks, and even if they are ultra vires, are always attributed to a state.
Furthermore, there too appears to be a breach of international law since the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea prohibits the use of unnecessary use of force in dealing with illegal fishermen. In fact, the UNCLOS provides that fishermen caught illegally fishing in a states exclusive economic zone should not even be detained or charged criminally The only leeway granted to a party state is to apprehend the vessel which, in turn, must be immediately release upon posting of bond.
The lesson learned is how our own government should espouse the claim of its national, even if there is only one solitary victim. Not only did the highest echelon of the Taiwanese government demand for an apology, it also demanded compensation and even threatened the Philippines with both military and economic reprisals, even if both are prohibited by international law. This is in stark contrast with the current practice of the Philippine government. Only recently, 200 of our nationals became sitting ducks to Malaysia’s illegal resort to excessive force. Our response was to threaten our nationals with domestic prosecution.
Because we committed an internationally wrongful act, we have the obligation under international law to apologize and provide compensation to the victim. This though is the full extent of our liability. Taiwan’s demand that in addition, we enter into a fishing agreement with it is bereft of legal merit. Taiwan is not an independent state and should not expect to be treated as such. Any fishing agreement involving overlapping areas of our exclusive economic zone should be with the People Republic of China. This is consistent with the international communities’ recognition of the so-called one-China policy; that is, Taiwan forms part of the People’s Republic of China and is not a republic on its own.
This latest experience should also teach our policy makers to act with dispatch where it is our government that incurs international responsibility. Since the shooting was at the behest of a state organ, the Philippine Coast Guard, the investigation should not have lasted as long as it did. It only entails requiring the Master of the coast guard vessel to report what transpired that led to the shooting. Absent evidence that it was in self-defense, the Philippines should have apologized with dispatch and should not have waited for any formal demand to do so. Our failure to act with dispatch consistent with our international obligation gave Taiwan the opportunity to exploit the incident to promote its own interest.
it seems to me,the pnoy govt and thrrefore the filipinos is fast becoming the punching bag of our neighbors instead of becoming a rising star.
Pinoy ka ba Ha… oo nga at mas matalino ka sa akin at abogado ka pa, pero bakit ba palagi k na lang nagsasabi na ayon sa batas, bakit Hindi mo ipagtanggol ang karapatan ng Pilipinas, nakaksuka na, palagi na lang ba na tayong mga pinoy ang laging agrabyado kahit na ang pangyayari ay nangyari sa bakuran ng Pilipinas? Wala na ba tayong mga Pinoy na karapatan na ipagtanggol kung ano ang atin ay atin. Pulos ka ayon sa batas , Pero ang mga iyan ba gagawin din ba nila ang dapat pag sila ay nagmaltrato ng Pinoy? Tingnan natin kung ano ang magagawa ng batas na sinasabi mo pag buhay na ang pinag-uusapan.
Kung hindi sila pumasok sa bakuran ng may bakuran at balak pang bang gain ang PCG hindi mangyayari yan. Kailan ba naman nila dapat irespeto ang Pilipinas?
Masyado na ang pang-mamaliit ng mga iyan, Tama na at sobra na.
Prans
Now Mr roque, tell me which is wrong, the accidental killing of that man or the starvation and beatings of our kababayans in that pretentious country?
Antonio bandila
Atty. Roque,
The first rule towards understanding the behavior of another country is to look at its domestic political situation because foreign or external policy and behavior is driven by internal factors.
So in the case of the Taiwan president and government the question you must ask is could a very unpopular president be deflecting his people’s wrath towards another target? Why focus everything on a case involving the shooting of an illegal fisherman when your countrymen are angry over economic reforms and a misguided straits policy?
@ MB …. BANG!!!!! You got the point I want to address to atty roque.
Antonio bandila.
Nincompoops ang mga taiwanese, why do they have to resort to physically hurt people to show their disgust?
Layas kayo dyan sa Taiwan, let their own people do all the work.
Yeah, MB… I agree. Taiwan president, in spite of Pnoy’s apology albeit late, prolonged the sentiment of his people. Sinilaban, pinalala nya!
lahat ‘yan ay dahil sa tuwirang pagwawalambahala at pagbalewala ng karamihan ng mga nasa poder sa kapakanan ng mga ordinaryong pinoy. kailan ba sila hindi nawalan ng katwiran kapag panig na ng mahihirap ang nakasalalay at pinag-uusapan?
lahat na lang ng pagbibigay ng trabaho ay inaaasa sa ibang bansa samantalang pangako sa panahon ng kampanya ay bibigyan ng hanapbuhay ang mga tao.