Two more Filipino seamen released in Somalia

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/11/2008 2:46 PM

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Two more Filipinos on board a seized bulk carrier in Somalia have been released by their captors, a foreign affairs official announced Saturday.

Undersecretary Esteban Conejos of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Sergio Paloma, 44, of Leyte province, and Reynaldo Uy, 30, Davao province have been released.

The two were and 27 other seamen were crewmembers of M/V Iran Deyanat, which was released by Somali pirates on Friday. The ship was seized by the pirates last August 29.

Conejos said the freed ship was on its way to Muscat, Oman. It was expected to arrive in Muscat on Monday or Tuesday.

He said the DFA is already coordinating with the ship's owners for the repatriation of the two Filipino seamen.

The release brought the number of captured Filipino seamen in Somalia down to 47.

Twenty other Filipino seamen, crewmembers of the Japanese ship M/V Stella Maris, were also released by Somali pirates Friday afternoon.

Of the 45, 17 are crewmen of the Greek vessel M/T Stephanos deployed by Epsilon Maritime Services and hijacked September 24; 26 are with M/V Centuari deployed by Tradephil Shipping Agency hijacked last September 17; two with the vessel Stolt Valor deployed by Fleet Management Services and hijacked September 15.

Last Wednesday, 15 crewmen of M/T Irene were released by their Somali captors. De Castro said the 15 seamen were scheduled to arrive in the Philippines on October 16.

Because of the danger posed by Somali pirates to Filipino seamen, De Castro said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration’s governing board has approved a resolution declaring the Gulf of Aden in Somalia a high-risk zone and mandating double pay for all seafarers on board ships passing the area.

“Ang isang seaman, kung ayaw dumaan sa Gulf of Aden, pwede siyang bumaba mula sa barko, walang problema. Kung gusto naman niyang tumuloy, madodoble ang kanyang sweldo o kita,” De Castro said.

The resolution, drafted in consultation with ship owners and manning agencies, is retroactive October 7. But De Castro said it will cover Filipino seafarers currently being held by Somali pirates, the last group of which was held hostage October 4.

De Castro also welcomed the United Nations Security Council resolution urging the international community to send naval ships and military aircraft to confront pirates of Somalia.

“Hopefully, matatapos na ang problema ng piracy diyan sa Gulf of Aden,” he said.

Since 2006, a total of 130 Filipino seafarers have fallen victim to hijacking and hostage taking by Somali pirates.