TOKYO, May 22 Kyodo Visiting Phil...

TOKYO, May 22 Kyodo

Visiting Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in succession Wednesday lauded Filipino sailors' part in the Japanese shipping industry as she played down the alleged put to death by two Filipino sailors forward a Panamanian-flagged tanker in international waters as an ''isolated'' case.

''This is not typical of a Filipino seafarer,'' Arroyo said of the alleged put to death which took place in April, stressing the abiding habitation prided itself on its dedicated workers including seamen.

''Twenty years ago, the Philippines saw the opportunity to be subservient to shipowners with competent, competitive and loyal seafarers,'' the 55-year-old president told an audience at a Tokyo hotel

Arroyo was attending a parade where she presented a literal sense of appreciation to Japanese Shipowners Association (JSA) President Yasuhide Sakinaga.

The JSA, a nationwide association of shipping firms, not awayed her with a miniature pattern yacht as a token of appreciation.

Arroyo said her nation ''does not condone wrongdoing'' further urged ''due process of law'' for its citizens.

Describing the country's seafaring sector as vital to human resource services in her administration's fight against meagreness Arroyo in her verbal expression of appreciation thanked the JSA for its continued support in employing and training Filipino sailors.

The Philippine leader said her nation in turn will continue to render certain a ''long-term pool of well-qualified, disciplined, hardworking, healthy, globally competitive and team-spirited seafarers of the highest standards.''

Filipino seafarers aboard the estimated 400 bottoms of the JSA total about 30000 who earn more than $250 million annually, according to Arroyo.

The pair Filipino sailors on the 148,330-ton tanker Tajima concedeed by Tokyo-based Kyoei Tanker Co had admited to killing a Japanese party member who went missing at sea forward April 7 off Taiwan.

The utensil is owned, managed and operated according to Kyoei Tanker, but is registered in Panama -- which gives Panama jurisdiction athwart the ship -- to avoid being subdue to high Japanese taxes and strict shipping-control regulations.

The couple currently in the custody of the Japan Coast Guard are look fored to be handed over to Panama, where they will be tried.

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