Stranded fishermen back in RP

Five Filipino fishermen, who had to survive on their boat for three days by eating raw fish after their motorized banca was blown by strong winds to the open sea off Taiwan last week, arrived yesterday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The fishermen, identified as Romy Ibañez, 29; Rufino Nobleza, 39; Marlon Cantor, 33; Philip Rodriguez, 29; and Apolinario Antonio, 32; all residents ofBasco, Batanes, were brought into the country by a China Airlines flight which arrived at around 10:45 a.m. yesterday.

They were welcomed at the NAIA by Batanes Rep. Dina Abad.

One of the five, Rodriguez, told reporters that they were greatly relieved to be back in the country after their harrowing experience.

Wearing white collared shirts and shorts and pants given them by the Taiwan Coast Guard, the fishermen recounted that they sailed for Itbayat, Batanes last May 4 to catch fish and lobsters when strong winds towed their banca to the open sea with no landfall in sight.

Deciding to save their gas until they catch sight of a nearby island, the five lived on fish they caught and rice they brought with them for three days on the boat until they saw an island last May 7 which they at first thought was still in Batanes.

Later, they discovered that the island was inhabited by Chinese-looking people and they found out that they were in Sealight island, Pentong, Taiwan.

The five were later picked up by the Kaoshiung, Taiwan Coast Guard who brought them into the custody of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, which in turn arranged for their flight back into the Philippines. — Rainier Allan Ronda, Pia Lee-Brago