(UPDATE) 91 Pinoy seafarers still held by pirates--DFA

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 12/10/2008 2:46 PM

Less than a hundred Filipino seafarers remain in the hands of Somali pirates, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced Wednesday.

According to DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr., there are 91 Filipino seafarers on board six ships still with Somali pirates.

The number decreased following the release of a Greek-owned, Bahamas-flagged bulker last December 8, 2008.

Shipping principals of MC Captain Stefanos confirmed the release of the bulker with its 19-man crew, including 17 Filipino seafarers.

“All crewmembers are reported to be in good health,” Conejos said in a text message to abs-cbnNEWS.com.

Conejos said the vessel was hijacked by Somali pirates last September 21 in the Gulf of Aden.

He said the vessel is now on its way to Italy and will sail from there to Greece.

“DFA is coordinating with shipowners on the repatriation of Filipino seamen,” he added.

DFA spokesperson Claro Cristobal identified the released Filipino seafarers as Master Rodel Arbis of Cavite, C/O Audy Oarrilla of Davao City, 2/O Miguel Sanchez of Manila, 2/O Reynaldo dela Cruz of Quezon City, C/E Leonardo Berjame of Mandaue City, 2/E Faustino Adalia of San Pablo City, 3/E Jeffrey Bolodo of Bohol, BSN Cesar Dela Cuadra of Iloilo, AB Ronnie Cabanting of Abra, AB Geovanne Sipalay of Bulacan, AB Emmanuel Torres of San Pablo City, OS James Bryan Fabie of Koronadal City, OS Nicolas Bation of Zambo Sur, OLR Rodrigo Parac of Leyte, E/CDT Prudencio Asuncion Jr, CK Alfredo Paculdar Jr. and MSM Richard Garcia of Cavite.

as of 12/11/2008 7:40 PM

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

POPCOM, gagamit ng ‘digital platforms’ para pagtibayin ang mga ugnayang pampamilya

Mas pinalalawig ng Komisyon sa Populasyon at Pagpapaunlad (POPCOM) ang adhikain nitong pagpapalaganap at pagpapabuti ng pakikipag-ugnayan ng mga nakakatandang Pilipino sa kanilang mga anak na nagdadalaga at nagbibinata. Nitong Setyembre 21, ang POPCOM ay nagsagawa ng isang “parent-teen talk webinar” gamit ang Zoom, kung saan ang isang “interactive program” ang nagbigay ng naaayon na kaalaman at kasanayan sa mga magulang, habang tumulong ito sa mga anak na teenager na maabot ang kanilang buong potensyal. Hinikayat din nito ang mga nanay at tatay na sumali sa malayang usapan, lalo na sa mga usapin ukol sa sex at sekswalidad, na nakikitang makakatulong upang bumaba ang mga bilang ng mga pagbubuntis sa hanay ng mga kabataan. Maaaring mapanood ang webinar sa https://youtu.be/lZ9jrJCjYas. Ayon kay Ikalawang Kalihim (Undersecretary) Juan Antonio A. Perez III, MD, MPH, “ang webinar ay naging isang tagapag-simula at ‘padaluyan’ ng pag-uu
Read more

UP Diliman Professors Share Scientists’ Procurement Struggles at Senate Hearing

By Harvey Sapigao Senate hearing of the revised procurement law (Photo credit: Senate of the Philippines) College of Science (CS) Dean Giovanni Tapang held up a little white device as he finished his presentation. “This is a ₱150,000 component,” he described. “Isa lang gumagawa nito sa buong mundo, pero ang hirap pilitin sila na magregister sa PhilGEPS,” he continued, referring to the requirement that foreign companies must first register to the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) before they can sell products to local scientists. Marine Science Institute (MSI) Deputy Director Dr. Irene Rodriguez explained that the small device is a resin that filters metals in water. “May budget tayo,” she said, “pero ang problema ko ay ‘yung resin na ito.” This and other bottlenecks brought about by the procurement law, or the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184), slow down research and development in the country. UPD leaders were invited to the Senate he
Read more

Gaza war rages into fourth month as Blinken tours Middle East Adel Zaanoun with Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem, --- Agence France-Presse

The Israel-Hamas war raging in Gaza entered its fourth month on Sunday as the army again pounded the besieged Palestinian territory and US top diplomat Antony Blinken was back in the region seeking to avoid a wider escalation. Israeli airstrikes overnight and early Sunday killed at least 64 people in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory, said its health ministry. It said two journalists were killed when their car was struck. The ministry, medics, and witnesses identified them as Mustafa Thuria, a video stringer for Agence France-Presse, and Hamza Wael Dahdouh, the son of Al Jazeera's bureau chief in Gaza who earlier lost his wife and two other children in an Israeli strike. Israeli bombardment also claimed other civilian lives in the southern city of Khan Yunis and in the Rafah area near the Egyptian border, where many of the territory's displaced people have sought refuge, AFP correspondents reported. Relatives were mourning the dead at Khan Yunis' European Hospital, am
Read more