ABS-CBN News Online Beta

Freed Pinoy seamen from hijacked ship safe in Oman

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 09/17/2008 5:59 PM

Printer-friendly version | Send to friend | Post Comment

Nine Filipino crewmen of the hijacked BBC Trinidad cargo vessel off Somalia arrived at the Philippine embassy in Muscat, Oman and narrated their 21-day ordeal in the hands of the nine pirates who held them hostage them since August 23.

Rodrigo Recto said the pirates chased them off and declared the abduction after boarding their vessel in the Gulf of Aden. He added that the pirates told them and two other crew members that they will only be freed in exchange for money.

Aside from Recto, the other freed hostages were Antonio Calubiran, Mark Anthony Abalos, Honorato Sotaridona, Ryan Abarientos, Jesus Kubil, Elmer Lamangan, Arturo Nicolas and Arnold Asuncion.

Beluga Fleet Management, the vessel's owner, said officials decided to pay the $1-million ransom rather than put the lives of the crew at risk.

At the embassy in Muscat, Recto and the others thanked company officials and other authorities who worked for their freedom.

Philippine Ambassador to Oman Acmad Omar said they will seek the United Nations Security Council's help in dealing with sea piracy since more and more Filipino seamen are being deployed to various parts of the world.

"Kasi hindi lang ito first time nan nangyari sa ating mga kababayang Pilipino kaya dapat magawan ito ng solusyon," he said.

The crew's employer, meanwhile, gave them free paid time off until the end of the year. They will continue to receive salaries while on vacation.

Recto and the others said they are still willing to return to work despite their ordeal and the dangers involved.

In Manila, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has recommended to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) a deployment ban to Somalia in light of the numerous kidnappings of Filipino seafarers in troubled country but the labor department has yet to act on it.

Esteban Conejos Jr., DFA undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs, said the recommendation was made on August when the series of kidnappings and piracy occurred in the Gulf of Aden.  

"The department recommended to the [labor department] the possibility of coming up with a ban on deployment of land-based and sea-based workers in Somalia and also writing into the contracts of our seafarers that they should not be entering this dangerous water. These proposals are now under study by the department of labor," he said in an ANC interview.

He said DOLE will still have to look closely into the recommendation, saying that the labor department also plans to consult with the shipping community.

“Our seamen go all over the world so we have to look on this more closely on how we could possibly enforce a more safe course for all of them. So, it might take some time but as I’ve said we have already made this recommendation to the department of labor,” he added.  Dindo Amparo, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau, Muscat, Oman