DFA: 9 Filipino seafarers held by Houthis moved to Sanaa

MANILA, August 4 ------ Nine Filipino sailors being held by Houthis have been moved to Yemen’s rebel-controlled capital of Sana’a, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Eduardo de Vega said the government was in contact with trusted intermediaries to ensure the welfare and eventual release of the Filipino crew members of the Eternity C cargo ship, “First of all, let’s celebrate that they’re alive,” De Vega said in an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News. “For some time, we didn’t know if they were alright. Hindi natin alam. But now we know for sure — buhay sila (they are alive).”

The seafarers were initially believed to be in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, but have since been transferred to Sana’a. According to De Vega, this development improves the chances of access by Philippine representatives. “They are in Sana’a, the capital of the Houthis. It makes it easier for our honorary consul, who lives close by, to attempt arrangements for a meeting with them,” he added, noting that while the consul is not officially accredited to the Houthi-led administration, he has “contacts on the ground.”

The DFA is also working through diplomatic backchannels and tapping the help of friendly nations to secure the release of the 9 Filipino seafarers. De Vega cited the continued support of countries such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Bahrain in advocating for the release of seafarers caught in regional hostilities. “Just like in the previous case when 17 seafarers were held for over a year, we’re again engaging the international community. In fact, the President acknowledged their help during his State of the Nation Address,” he said.

The Houthis have been targeting Israel-linked vessels in the Red Sea since 2023, to condemn Israeli military operations in Gaza, which was launched after the October 7 Hamas attack that killed over a thousand individuals in Israel. However, global public and diplomatic opinion shifted to growing condemnation, as Israel’s war on Gaza has since resulted in the deaths of over 60,000 Palestinians. “They are transparent about it. They are relinking everything to the Israeli-Gaza situation,” De Vega said. “The international community, including the Philippines, have long called for a cessation of hostilities in Gaza. We, the Philippines, vote for all resolutions, which condemn the violence in Gaza. Internationally, we have joined the voices of many countries and seafarers are innocent, you know, people who just want to work. They are not making a political statement,” he argued.

The Philippines also supports a two-state solution, while urging all parties to respect the rights of seafarers. The Philippines previously spearheaded a resolution in the United Nations Human Rights Council calling for the protection of seafarers globally. “They’ve made the message clear. The ship has sunk. So, we don't see what is the need for them to be hosting, shall we say, our 9 seafarers. But of course, we appreciate that the seafarers were rescued,” De Vega added.

Asked whether the recent humanitarian pauses implemented by Israel in Gaza were sufficient, the official said, “We want a ceasefire. We want an end to hostilities. We want an end to violence.” The DFA said it would continue providing updates as diplomatic efforts progress and assured the families of the seafarers that their safe return remained a top priority of the Philippine government. The Huthis sank the Eternity C and other Filipino-manned cargo ship, the Magic Seas, in separate attacks in July, after a temporary hiatus in their campaign against maritime traffic.

De Vega earlier said one of the nine Filipinos had suffered an unspecified injury, and that one of the non-Filipino personnel was also injured. Eight other Filipino crew members who survived the Eternity C attack were flown back to the Philippines. All 17 Filipino seafarers from the Magic Seas have likewise been flown home. Filipino sailors make up as much as 30 percent of the world's commercial shipping force. The nearly $7 billion they sent home in 2023 accounted for about a fifth of the remittances to the archipelago nation.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com