News Roundup 17 May 2024
May 17, 2024 • 5 min Read
China mobilizes coast guard to detain ‘trespassers’ in South China Sea without trial | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — China has granted its Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) the authority to detain foreigners it suspects of “trespassing” its borders — including disputed areas in the South China Sea that it claims to be its territorial waters — for up to 60 days without trial.
The directive is housed under regulations rolled out by the CCG on Wednesday that standardize its law enforcement procedures, which will take effect on June 15, according to Chinese state-run news agency China News Service.
A 92-page document titled “Procedural Regulations on Administrative Law Enforcement of Coast Guard Agencies” and uploaded by the state-run news agency confirms that the CCG adopted the procedures on May 15, the same day that the Philippines launched its Filipino-led civilian mission to Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
Philstar.com has reached out to the Chinese Embassy of Manila for clarification and will update this story with their response.
Under Article 257 of the document uploaded by China News Service, the Chinese Coast Guard is allowed to detain foreigners suspected of violating entry and exit rules, persons found to be assisting others to illegally exit and enter Chinese territory, and persons having illegal residence and employment.
The rules also allow the detainment of individuals “endangering national security and interests, disrupting social and public order, or those engaging in illegal and criminal activities,” according to a translation of the provision through an open-source translation tool.
According to the new regulations, the Chinese Coast Guard can detain foreigners for up to 30 days if they violate China’s exit-entry rules, but this can be extended to 60 days for more complex cases, with approval from the police.
The regulations state the time of detention shall be calculated from the date when the person’s nationality and identity are ascertained.
Full Story at: China mobilizes coast guard to detain ‘trespassers’ in South China Sea without trial | Philstar.com
Philippines to buy 5 Japan-made coast guard ships in $400 mn deal | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has agreed to buy five coast guard patrol ships from Japan in a deal worth more than $400 million, Manila said Friday, as the Southeast Asian country faces growing Chinese pressure in the South China Sea.
Japan will loan the Philippines 64.38 billion yen ($413 million) to buy the five 97-meter Multi-Role Response Vessels and pay for the “development of the required support facilities”, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“This will support the PCG in improving its capabilities for maritime operations particularly in addressing transnational crimes,” the statement said, referring to the Philippine Coast Guard.
Tokyo is a top provider of overseas development assistance to the Philippines.
The Philippine Coast Guard currently has two 97-metre patrol vessels as part of a fleet seen as inadequate for patrolling waters around the vast archipelago nation.
In recent months, its vessels have been involved in several collisions with Chinese coast guard ships around disputed reefs in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely.
Philippine Coast Guard boats have also been fired on with water cannons by the China Coast Guard, with the latest incident happening on April 30 near the China-controlled Scarborough Shoal.
Full Story at: Philippines to buy 5 Japan-made coast guard ships in $400 mn deal | Philstar.com
Tax court clears ousted chief justice Sereno | INQUIRER.NET – The Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has revoked the collection of more than P8.85 million from former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, finding the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to be in violation of the tax code. The amount supposedly represented Sereno’s income tax deficiencies from 2011 to 2016.
In a 45-page decision on May 14, the two-member CTA Special Second Division granted Sereno’s petition for a review of the final decision on disputed assessment (FDDA) which the BIR issued in January 2022 in response to her objections over her alleged tax dues.
“While the government has an interest in the swift collection of taxes, the BIR and its officers and agents cannot be overreaching in their efforts but must perform their duties in accordance with the law, with their own rules of procedure, and always with regard to the basic tenets of due process,” the CTA said.
The BIR tax review on Sereno covered her years as associate justice at the Supreme Court from 2011 to 2012, and as chief justice from 2014 to August 2016.
According to the CTA, while the BIR’s examination of Sereno’s book of accounts and other tax records was “valid,” the Formal Letter of Demand (FLD) and Final Assessment Notice (FAN), which inform a taxpayer of tax liabilities, were “void because they were issued in violation of (Sereno’s) right to due process.”
Full Story at: Tax court clears ousted chief justice Sereno (inquirer.net)
PH Coast Guard detains vessel with 7 Chinese crew in Zambales town | INQUIRER.NET – SUBIC, Zambales — A merchant vessel (MV) manned by seven Chinese crew members was detained on Thursday, May 17, by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in San Felipe town in this province.
Citing initial reports, CDR Euphraim Jayson Diciano, commander of the PCG sub-station in Zambales, said MV Hyperlink 988, which is registered in Freetown, Sierra Leone, was being held in the vicinity waters off Barangay Sindol after the local PCG sub-station conducted an inspection on board the vessel and found 21 deficiencies.
During the inspection, PCG personnel found that the vessel had no hard copies of necessary permits and other documents, including the crew list.
According to the ship captain, the vessel’s intended destination was the Manila anchorage.
“However, due to high anchorage fees, they chose the more affordable anchorage,” the local PCG sub-station said.
But San Felipe town has no ports, so the vessel did not pay any anchorage fees, the Inquirer learned.
On May 15, the PCG sub-station received a notification that an unidentified vessel hoisting the Philippine flag was seen in the town.
Upon verification using an online marine application, they found that the vessel’s AIS (automatic identification system) was turned off, making it impossible to retrieve its information.
PCG personnel also attempted to communicate with the vessel’s crew via radio but received no response. INQ
Story at: PH Coast Guard detains vessel with 7 Chinese crew in Zambales (inquirer.net)
