Duterte thanks Vietnamese fishermen for saving Filipinos

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from left, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha, Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen clap after posing for a group photo during the opening ceremony of the ASEAN leaders summit in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, June 23, 2019. (Photo by GEMUNU AMARASINGHE /AP)

BANGKOK, Thailand — President Rodrigo Duterte brought up the Recto Bank incident at the 34th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit by thanking the Vietnamese fishermen who rescued the Filipinos left at sea after their fishing boat was rammed by a Chinese vessel.

“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,” said presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

The President expressed his sincere gratitude to Vietnam through Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Panelo added.

He then discussed the matter at the Asean leaders’ retreat on Sunday.

In the same meeting, he expressed concern and disappointment over the delay in the negotiations for a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, Panelo said.

“The Chief Executive explained that the longer the delay for an early conclusion of the COC, the higher the probability of maritime incidents happening and the greater the chance for miscalculations that may spiral out of control,” he said.

(Editor: Alexander T. Magno)