President Rodrigo Duterte expressed his gratitude to the Vietnamese crew who rescued 22 Filipino fishermen at sea after a Chinese vessel rammed their boats and abandoned them.
Duterte called Vietnam’s move an “act of kindness and compassion.”
The President relayed his gratitude to Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during the ASEAN summit in Bangkok, Thailand.
“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 Spokesperson Sal Panelo said.
The President also urged ASEAN leaders to come up with a Sea Code of Conduct to avoid further maritime issues in the region.
