Duterte: Indonesia can chase pirates into Philippine waters

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, left, talks with his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo during their meeting at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. Duterte is currently on a two-day visit to the country. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) (The Associated Press)

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, left, shake hands with his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo during their meeting at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. Duterte is currently on a two-day visit to the country. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) (The Associated Press)

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, left, talks to the media as his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo looks on during a joint press conference at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. Duterte is currently on a two-day visit to the country. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) (The Associated Press)

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has given Indonesian forces the right to pursue pirates into Philippine waters, saying piracy is one of the main problems between the two countries.

Duterte, who is visiting Jakarta, discussed piracy and other security issues on Friday with Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

He said he was sorry that even shipments of coal from Indonesia to the Philippines are being affected by piracy.

Nine Indonesians are among 16 foreign hostages currently being held by the Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf in the southern Philippines, where Muslim separatist rebellions have raged for decades.

In May, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines agreed to carry out coordinated patrols following a series of kidnappings and piracy attacks that undermined commerce in the Celebes Sea, where their sea borders overlap.