By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Hope springs eternal for the safety and immediate repatriation of the 18 Filipino crew of the oil tanker that was seized in the Gulf of Oman.
On Sunday, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) officer-in-charge Hans Cacdac disclosed that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is taking care of the negotiations for the safe return of the crew back to the Philippines.
“’Yung sa aspeto ng pakikipag-usap tungkol sa kanilang pagpapauwi nang ligtas, ay nasa kamay ng DFA. At ayon naman sa DFA, mayroon na ring pakikipag-usap sa larangan na ‘to sa Iranian authorities,” Cacdad said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.
On Saturday (January 13), Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo De Vega described the 18 Filipino seafarers as “collateral damage” after they were seized by Iran’s navy last January 11.
“Hindi sila kinuhang hostage, ibang situation ito kasi ang tinarget ng Iranians [ay] ‘yong bapor mismo, so in a way collateral damage ‘yong crew. So we’re confident that hindi sila sasaktan at in time papakawalan na rin ‘yan,” De Vega said.
The incident brought to 35 the number of Filipino seafarers abducted in sea jackings after 17 Filipino seafarers were seized by Iran-backed Houthi rebels who began threatening commercial shipping in the Red Sea last November.
Cacdac expressed the belief that the 18 Pinoy seafarers seized by Iran’s navy were safe.
“Alam natin na sila ay ligtas sa ngayon. Tayo ay nagdadasal kasama ng pamilya ng mga nasa St. Nikolas na sila’y makauwi na sa lalong madaling panahon,” he said.
(el Amigo/MNM)
