PUERTO PRINCESA CITY -- Fourteen Vietnamese fishermen were arrested Friday afternoon by members of the city government’s enforcement arm Bantay Dagat and the PNP Maritime while fishing in Philippine coastal waters some 20 km north of Puerto Princesa City.

Col. Roland Barbosa, officer in charge of the PNP Maritime Palawan, said the Vietnamese were on board FB QNQ 95869 and anchored off Chicken Island when accosted by the enforcement team.

“We are conducting an inventory of the boat and preparing charges of poaching and illegal entry,” Barbosa said.

An interpreter for the Vietnamese told authorities the fishermen were claiming they ran out of supplies and were forced to enter Philippine waters.

Initial reports from members of the enforcement team indicated that the Vietnamese had been around the area conducting fishing activities when they were reported by local fishermen to authorities.

Barbosa said the arrested Vietnamese nationals were brought to this city early morning Friday for inquest.

In the past, Vietnamese and Chinese fisherfolk were caught poaching in Palawan waters but most of them were usually released with intervention by their own embassies.