Twenty-three Filipino fishermen, who were detained for illegal fishing in Malaysia, are expected to arrive in the Philippines on Tuesday.
Fishing vessel FY May-Anne which came from Navotas Fish Port was caught fishing inside Malaysian waters last April 7, 2008 . Its captain and crew were detained at the Kepayan Prison in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah.
Janet Policarpio, owner of the fishing vessel, confirmed that the fishermen were already released. She said however that Mario Apawan, the ship's captain, was still in the custody of Malaysian authorities.
She added that the fishermen already served their three-month sentence, but Patawan has to spend two more months in prison.
Sabah Fisheries State Office filed a case against them for violating the Malaysian Fisheries Act of 1985. The fishermen, including the vessel's captain, pleaded not guilty before the Magistrate‘s Court, but were convicted of the charges last May.
The fishermen are expected to arrive Tuesday afternoon in an Air Asia flight at Diosdado Macapagal International Airport. With a report from Alex Santos, ABS-CBN News.