Taiwan vows to protect Filipinos from attacks

Taiwan yesterday ordered all law-enforcement personnel to step up the protection of Filipinos on the island, after a suggestion that Manila might evacuate its nationals from the island after hearing reports of attacks targeting them.

"We have instructed all prosecutorial and law-enforcement agencies to step up protection and take preventive measures against any assaults and harassment of Philippine nationals in Taiwan," Justice Minister Tseng Yung-fu told reporters.

His comments came after reports of at least three assaults on Filipinos in Taiwan amid a continuing row between Taipei and Manila over the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman by the Philippine coastguard on May 9 in waters where 200 nautical miles of the two sides' "exclusive economic zones" overlap.

"Those caught doing so will be arrested and face criminal charges," he said.

Yesterday, Abigail Valte, a spokeswoman for Philippine President Benigno Aquino, was quoted by the Bloomberg news agency as saying that the Philippines might evacuate its 87,000 workers in Taiwan. "Should the need arise, we are prepared to evacuate," she told the agency, but stressed at the moment "there seems to be no need".

Taiwanese Foreign Minister David Lin said yesterday the two sides had tentatively agreed to a "parallel" probe into the incident, which the Philippines stressed was "unintended", but which Taipei insisted was "cold-blooded murder", judging by the more than 50 bullet holes found on the small fishing boat.