DFA Repatriates 17 Pinoy Fishermen from Indonesia
MANILA – Seventeen Filipinos caught illegally fishing in Indonesian waters were repatriated to the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
The 17 fishermen were from the vessels KM Garuda 05, KM Geruda 06, KM Inday Hubag, KM JVY and KM JV from Jakarta, Indonesia.
“The Philippine Government is committed to provide repatriation assistance to Filipinos who may find themselves in distress overseas, including our fisher folks who stray into foreign waters,” said Ambassador Ricardo Endaya of the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA).
The fishermen were not in possession of passports nor travel documents when they entered Indonesian waters. The DFA said that of the 17, two are boat captains who served sentence after they were arrested in 2012.
The DFA coordinated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to arrange for the temporary shelter and transportation requirements of the said 17 Filipinos for their onward travel to General Santos City and Saranggani Province.
Since January 2015, the DFA has repatriated 139 Filipino fishermen from Indonesia after entering Indonesian waters without proper documentation and permission.