QUEZON CITY (PIA) — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed on Thursday, November 30, that he will personally address important developments in the hostage situation involving 17 Filipino seafarers.
He would convene a meeting to facilitate the dispatch of a high-level delegation to Tehran, Iran, with the aim of providing necessary assistance to Filipino seafarers.
“In light of important developments in the hostage situation involving 17 Filipino seafarers in the Red Sea, I have made the decision not to attend COP28 in Dubai tomorrow,” President Marcos said on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
On November 19, Houthi rebels from Yemen seized the cargo vessel ‘Galaxy Leader’ in the southern Red Sea near Hodeida, Yemen, and took hostage its 25 crewmembers in retaliation for Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
Houthi rebels claimed they had “captured” the ship and had taken it to the Yemeni coast, citing its alleged connection to Israel as the reason for their actions.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on November 22 that 17 Filipinos were among those held hostage in the hijacking of a cargo vessel in the Red Sea bound for the port of Pipavav in India.
Aside from the Filipino crew members, the remaining eight crew members are from Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and Mexico.
The Bahamas-flagged, British-owned Galaxy Leader is operated by the Japanese firm Nippon Yusen, also known as NYK Line.
Japanese government officials confirmed that the ship was operated by a Japanese company. Despite the absence of Japanese nationals on board, Japan is working in collaboration with Israel to secure the release of the vessel.
“In addition to maintaining communication with Israel and approaching the Houthi forces directly, we are reaching out to the countries concerned, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Iran, to strongly urge the Houthi forces to release the carrier and crew as soon as possible,” Japan Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said.
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega cited the ongoing diplomatic efforts and said they are in coordination with their counterparts in Iran, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia for updates. The Department of Migrant Workers is also in regular communication with the families of the hostages.
President Marcos assured the Filipino people that the government is doing all it can to ensure the safety of the 17 Filipino seafarers taken hostage by Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The president skips his scheduled participation in the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai and entrusted Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga to lead the delegation and articulate the Philippines’ priorities in climate action. (KSAA – PIA CPSD)
