TIM eMagazine Vol.2 Issue 9
PCG escorts five
Vietnamese fishermen
to send-off by President
Duterte in Pangasinan
Credits : coastguard.gov.ph
P
CG: In fulfillment of the President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's
promise to send home five Vietnamese fishermen who
were arrested last 23 September conveyed during the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) bilateral talk
between the Philippines and Vietnam held in Vietnam
recently, the Philippine Coast Guard through its Multi-
Role Response Vessels- 4404 (BRP Capones) and MRRV-
4406 (BRP Suluan) escorted the Vietnamese Fishing Boat
(PY 96173TS) during the Ceremonial Send Off at Sual
Wharf and Causeway Area, Sual Port, Pangasinan up to 12 nautical miles of
the Philippines territorial waters on its eight-day travel proceeding to Phu
Yen Province, Vietnam at 04:00 P.M. today, 29 November.
It was last 22 September when the Philippine Navy sighted the said
VFB with seven fishermen onboard namely Messrs. Phan Lam, Phan Net,
Nguyen Uan Trong, Nguyen Than Chi, Pham To, Le Van Liem, and Le Van
Reo fishing at the vicinity waters of 34 nautical miles off Cape Bolinao,
Pangasinan wherein the apprehension during the following day resulted
to the death of the latter two crewmembers.
In view of the resolution, the respondents violated Section 91 of
RA 10694 or the Amended Fisheries Code, which states that it shall be
unlawful to any foreign, corporation or entity to fish or operate any fishing
vessel in Philippine waters. However, due to humanitarian considerations
owing to their indigence and the unexpected death of the two
crewmembers, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources decided that
while poaching was committed, no administrative fine will be imposed.
Meanwhile, PCG deployed task force with two units composed of Coast
Guard District Northeastern Luzon, CG Station Sual, officers and crew of
the two MRRVs, CG Special Operations Force, and CG K9 Force. Aside from
the participating vessels, six aluminum boats and one rubber boat are also
deployed to conduct maritime patrols for the implementation of maritime
security and law enforcement in the No Sail Zone area and to assist the said
send-off.
In addition, the Philippine government through the Department of
Social Works and Development and the Department of Health handed-
over the Vietnamese fishermen with provisions and medicines to
compliment their eight-day travel personally witnessed by the Vietnamese
Ambassador Ly Quoc Tuan.
The event was attended by the PCG delegation headed by the Officer-
in-Charge Philippine Coast Guard, Commodore Joel S Garcia PCG Ph.D.,
H.D., Al-Haj, concerned agencies including BFAR, DSWD, Philippine Navy,
Philippine National Police, and Bureau of Immigration, and other national
and local government units. coastguard.gov.ph
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