Capt. Feliciano Angue, chief of the Naval Task Force 62 (NTF), said the Malaysian fishing boats were intercepted after entering Philippine waters illegally and caught poaching in Tawi-Tawi last Aug. 12.
However, while the fishing boats were being escorted towards the naval station in Bato-Bato, Panglima Sugala town by a patrol ship, two of the Malaysian vessels sank in rough seas.
Navy men immediately rescued the crew on board at about 1 p.m. on Saturday but failed to save the ill-fated crafts. Two of the navy patrol crafts tried to tow the boats but were hindered by strong winds and giant waves.
Angue said the nine Malaysian fishermen were turned over to the custody of the Provincial Committee on Illegal Entrants (PCIE) in Bonggao, Tawi-Tawi after appropriate charges were filed against them.
Foreigners caught illegally fishing in Philippine waters are usually fined before being expelled.
Angue said they had also turned over 12 Indonesian fishermen arrested for illegally poaching in Philippine waters recently to the PCIE.
Illegal poaching in the Philippines would continue unabated if officials would continue giving permits to foreigners in exchange for huge amounts of money, he said. — With AFP