No word yet from KL on 17 Filipino fishermen

DFA spokesman and Assistant Foreign Secretary Charles Jose: Still waiting for word. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–A week after the reported arrest of 17 Filipino fishermen for illegal fishing between Philippine and Malaysian waters, the Department of Foreign Affairs said it has yet to get a confirmation of the July 9 arrest from Kuala Lumpur.

Foreign Assistant Secretary Charles Jose on Tuesday said the DFA was still waiting for word from Malaysia over queries made by the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

Jose said the Philippine Embassy, through its police attaché, made the inquiries after the owner of the fishing vessel of the 17 fishermen on board FB King and Queen 4 reported it to the DFA office in Palawan.

According to the owner, the fishermen were apprehended by Malaysian authorities for alleged illegal fishing in waters between Tawi-Tawi and Sandakan.

The fishermen were said to be detained in Sandakan. “We are still waiting confirmation from the Malaysian side,” Jose told reporters.

When asked why it was taking time to make the confirmation, he said it was possible that it was taking time to confirm because the incident was in southern Malaysia.