BANGKOK – President Duterte thanked the Vietnamese crew for its “act of kindness and compassion” after rescuing several Filipino fishermen recently left stranded near Recto Bank.
The President relayed his gratitude to Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during the regional summit in Bangkok. They are among the 10 leaders who attended the 34th Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit over the weekend.
“President Duterte took the occasion to thank the captain and crew of the Vietnamese fishing vessel who saved our fishermen near Recto Bank, stating that this act of kindness and compassion will always be remembered by the Philippines and its people,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said.
“He expressed his sincere gratitude to Vietnam through Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc,” he added.
Duterte made the gesture to the Vietnamese Prime Minister while attending the ASEAN summit retreat of the regional leaders yesterday. The government earlier deplored the “act of abandonment” by the Chinese vessel of the Filipino fishing crew as barbaric, inhuman, and outrageous.
The Philippines recently agreed with China’s proposal to conduct a joint and impartial investigation to determine the truth and accountability on the Recto Bank incident, which Duterte described as a little maritime accident.
Panelo maintained the country’s sovereignty is “non-negotiable” and they would seek “accountability and compensation” for the Filipino fishermen abandoned at sea.
“We are by no means relinquishing any inch of our sovereign rights, nor compromising the rights of our 22 fishermen. We are demanding justice for our countrymen, and we are using all legal means toward that end,” he said. (Genalyn Kabiling)
