SUAL, Pangasinan: President Rodrigo Duterte personally sent off 17 Vietnamese fishermen who were arrested for alleged poaching in the coastal waters of Santa Catalina, Ilocos Sur in a ceremony at the Port of Sual here on Wednesday afternoon. The President and Vietnamese Ambassador to the Philippines Troung Trieu Duomg led senior officials as well as provincial and local officials, led by Mayor Roberto Sual, in sending home the detained fishermen. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morete, who was among those who sent off the Vietnamese, said the fishermen were on board three fishing boats that were intercepted by the Philippine Navy on September 8. Duterte gave the fishermen provisions for their travel back to their country that included toiletries, coffee, sugar and food including rice, vegetables and beef, which were loaded on their boats. The Vietnamese vessels then were escorted up to the Philippine boundary in the South China Sea [West Philippine Sea].

Source: Manila Times November 03, 2016 12:28 UTC