Philippine President Duterte orders release of 17 Vietnamese fishermen

According to TNHK, news from the Philippines said that President Rodrigo Duterte will attend the release of 17 Vietnamese fishermen arrested for illegal fishing in the country on November 2.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. (Source: AFP/VNA)

According to the Philippine Inquirer newspaper, the Philippine leader requested the release of the Vietnamese fishermen to "express the Philippines' goodwill", after his two-day visit to Vietnam in September.

The fishermen on the three fishing boats were arrested on September 8 and later charged with illegal fishing, but a prosecutor in the province where they were arrested dropped the charges on October 7 after the fishermen said they drifted to the Philippines "to avoid the strong typhoon Ferdie."./.

According to Vietnamplus