President Duterte bids farewell to 17 Vietnamese fishermen as they return home.

AFP reported on November 2nd that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte personally saw off 17 Vietnamese fishermen who had been arrested and were returning home.

A Vietnamese fishing boat leaves a port in the Philippines, bearing the inscription "Thank you President Duterte" - Photo: AP

Seventeen Vietnamese fishermen, equipped with essential supplies, departed from Sual port in the Philippines to return home. One of the Vietnamese fishermen's boats displayed a banner that read: "Thank you, President Duterte. A thank you from the Vietnamese fishermen."

"I am very happy to be saying goodbye to my friends," Duterte said at the ceremony.

According to Social Security and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, Vietnamese fishermen were provided with food for their journey home on orders from President Duterte.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morante said the fishermen had the option of returning home via Philippine Airlines, but they preferred to use their fishing boats.

Previously, Philippine authorities dropped charges such as illegal fishing and illegal entry into Philippine waters against the Vietnamese fishermen because they had drifted into Philippine waters due to Typhoon Ferdie and the southwest monsoon in the South China Sea.

On October 10, the Philippine Department of Justice issued a document allowing Vietnamese fishermen to return home without penalty or being blacklisted.

On October 24, another document issued by relevant Philippine departments officially facilitated the return of 17 fishermen on their three fishing vessels.

Following his visit to Vietnam on September 28 and 29, President Duterte ordered Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to promptly release the Vietnamese fishermen detained in Philippine waters.

At the farewell ceremony, in addition to President Duterte, there were also Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, National Security Advisor Hermogenes Esperon, and local government officials.

The Philippine Navy also escorted them for 24 nautical miles before bidding them farewell.

President Duterte said the incident had struck him during his visit to Hanoi, adding that both the Philippines and Vietnam are small countries often bullied by larger nations.

"This shows the importance of ASEAN. We, as neighbors, must act to protect each other's interests," AFP quoted Duterte as saying.

President Duterte bids farewell to captured Vietnamese fishermen returning home - Photo: AP

President Duterte bids farewell to captured Vietnamese fishermen returning home - Photo: AFP

According to Tuoi Tre newspaper