Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 26) — Vice President Leni Robredo explained to Vietnamese Ambassador Ly Quoc Tuan how thankful the 22 Filipino fishermen found near Recto Bank were after being rescued by fellow fisherfolk from Vietnam.
The two officially met for the first time in the Vice President’s office in Quezon City Wednesday.
“If you listen to the stories, they were really very thankful to the Vietnamese. They kept on repeating that were it not for them, they would have died already… thank you in behalf of, not just in behalf of the fishermen, but in behalf of the people of the Philippines,” Robredo was quoted telling Ly in a statement from her office.
During their meeting, Robredo told Ly of her hope for friendly ties between Philippines and Vietnam to stay.
A Chinese vessel rammed and sank a Filipino fishing boat near Recto Bank on June 9. The 22 fishermen on board were left adrift at sea for hours before a Vietnamese fishing crew rescued and fed them.
Both the Vietnamese and the Chinese vessels were in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
Robredo had called out the Chinese crew responsible for sinking the Filipino boat, and sought for them to face Philippine courts.
