Apologizes for incident in September
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday apologized for September’s incident that saw two Vietnamese who were poaching in Philippine waters killed in an alleged encounter with the Philippine Navy, and five others arrested.
“We are all Asians.. I’m sorry for the incident, I hope it will never happen,” Duterte said in send-off ceremonies for the other five Vietnamese crewmen, in Sual, Pangasinan.
After a bilateral meeting with Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang in November, Duterte said he told Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre to dismiss the cases against the five and deport them.
The five Vietnamese were reportedly given provisions by the Philippine government for their trip back to Vietnam.
In explaining his move to let the five fishermen go, Duterte said, “this is something I consider minor.”
“Hindi naman yan basta basta. Ganun lang kadalas, about seasonal, then maybe we can find the forgiveness in our hearts in the interest of the larger picture….Kailangan mag-intindi,” he said.
He added “(he) had to do it because I made a commitment with (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations). ”
“It was also their promise, that we treat our poor citizens who happened to just intrude somewhere with understanding,” Duterte said.
“This incident will not destroy our bond of relationship (that remains) very strong,” Duterte told Vietnamese ambassador to the Philippines Ly Quoc Tuan, who also attended the send-off ceremonies.
According to the Philippine Navy, they were forced to fire warning shots after the Vietnamese group–which was poaching over 30 nautical miles off the coast of Cape Bolinao–slammed their vessel against their patrol boat, BRP Miguel Malvar.
The bodies of the two Vietnamese were later found on board the Vietnamese vessel.
Members of the Navy who were involved in the incident were suspended.