But “as an act of goodwill and liberality on the part of the Philippine Government,” it has transferred “by way of donation” the ownership of the fishing vessels—five of which are under the custody of the Provincial Government while the other two under the Western Command (WESCOM)—to Vietnam by virtue of a Deed of Conveyance signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. and Vietnam Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Nguyen Vu Tu on October 25.
The 6th Civil Relation Group of the AFP said that 34 remaining Vietnamese nationals sailed home on board the seven boats on the same day that they were formally turned over to the Vietnam Embassy.
WESCOM and the Provincial Government also executed a manifestation that relieved them of any responsibilities to the vessels while the boat captains, who have been staying in the boats since their capture, signed an acknowledgement that they received the vessels in good order.
In consideration to the close diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Vietnam, the Office of the President, in a letter issued by Undersecretary Ronaldo A. Geron dated November 09, 2011, has ordered the release of the seven fishing vessels used by the Vietnamese nationals.
The Regional Trial Court of Palawan and Puerto Princesa City awarded the ownership of the said fishing vessels to the Philippine Government after it has found the Vietnamese fishermen guilty of violating the Philippine law in a decision it promulgated dated August 26 also this year.
The agreement to return the boat ownership to Vietnam aims to “further deepen and invigorate the relationship between the two countries.” Both countries are claimants to the internationally disputed Spratly Archipelago which is believed to hold vast reserves of oil and gas.
The Office of the President has directed WESCOM Chief LTGen Juancho M. Sabban AFP to coordinate with the Vietnamese Embassy in the Philippines to facilitate the immediate release of the fishing vessels.
The seven Vietnamese fishing vessels in question were confiscated after Philippine authorities arrested 122 Vietnamese nationals fishing about two nautical miles off the coast of Tamburok Island in the municipality of Balabac on May 30 this year.
RTC Palawan sentenced the accused to collectively pay a fine of US$100,000 for each group in each vessel but they were relieved of the obligation after the court subsequently granted a motion to declare them insolvent.
Eighty-eight (88) of them have already been deported to their own country four months after they were arrested. The remaining 34, including the seven boat captains of the fishing vessels, are still waiting the processing of their documents for their repatriation.
LTGen Sabban AFP continues to assure the residents of Palawan and Puerto Princesa City that the military will be even more vigilant in protecting the territory of the Philippines from intruders, particularly its maritime resources from poachers. (JPA/6CRGAFP/RVC-PIA9 ZBST)
