Coast Guard probes attack on RP-registered cargo vessel

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard is already in coordination with foreign authorities regarding the probe on last Friday’s attack on the Philippine-registered cargo vessel by suspected pirates off Indonesian waters. Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo, PCG Acting commandant, said they already informed the Regional Cooperation on Anti-Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ship (RECAAP) based in Singapore about the incident. “We have representatives there in RECAAP and we already relayed the information about the matter. As to the consultation with the Indonesian authorities regarding the matter, we have to do this through diplomatic channels which means embassy to embassy,” Tamayo said. Tamayo said he had already ordered probers to establish the motive behind the attack to determine if the attackers were indeed pirates. “We cannot say that this was a work of pirates at this point,” he said. Still, Tamayo said he had alerted the maritime industry to be on alert and vigilant against attacks by armed men in the seas. Reports reaching PCG Headquarters based in Manila said the Philippines-registered M/V Hereford Express was fired upon by armed men aboard fast boats some 130 nautical miles south of Balut Island in General Santos. The incident happened shortly after M/V Hereford Express departed General Santos City for Australia at 9:20 p.m. last Friday. There were no casualties, the report added. Lieutenant Commander Armand Balilo, PCG spokesman, said the vessel incurred some bullet holes in her hull, broken navigational bridge glass windows and some damaged communications equipment as a result of the chase and heavy firing from the armed men aboard four fast boats. The vessel headed back and arrived Sta. Ana Pier in Davao on Sunday for repairs. - GMANews.TV