4 Pinoy seafarers arrive home after six-month detention in Argentina

After a six-month detention in Argentina, four Filipino seafarers arrived home Sunday afternoon to the warm embraces of their families.

The four — Harvey Baladjay, Stephen Nalumen, Ryan Lagumbay, and Vicente Siguan — were detained in August after being accused of throwing four African stowaways overboard.

A news release from ANGKLA, a party-list group representing Filipino seafarers, said lack of jurisdiction was cited as reason behind the four's release.

Through their families, the four, maintaining their innocence, sought assistance from the Philippine government in their case.

“Hindi talaga kami nawalan ng pag-asa. Alam namin na hindi kami pababayaan ng Diyos. Malaking bagay ang suporta ng pamilya namin,” said Joy Nalumen, Stephen's wife, who wrote the letter to ANGKLA seeking assistance for the four seafarers' case.

Philippine Ambassador to Argentina Rey Carandang said the four seafarers were released under the custody of the Philippine Embassy.

The four arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 aboard Emirates flight EK 332 at 4 p.m. Sunday. They were welcomed by their families and various government officials.

“We have been praying and fighting for their repatriation for months now," said Bienvenido Lagumbay, brother of Ryan. “If it weren’t for our family—these Filipino seafarers could still be there in their detention cells in Argentina."

“Now we can really start the year right—with our family complete," he added. — Rie Takumi/LBG/KBK, GMA News

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