PHL envoy seeks Iran’s go-ahead to meet 4 OFWS in seized vessel
HE Philippines is asking Tehran for permission to meet the four Filipino seafarers of a container ship which Iran commandos seized from Strait of Hormuz last Saturday.
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Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said Philippine Ambassador to Iran Roberto Manalo is seeking consular access to the four Filipino crew of MSC Aries.
Aside from the Filipino crew, MSC Aries has on board 21 other seafarers from India, Pakistan, Russia and Estonia.
This is the second time the Iranian Navy commandeered a commercial vessel with Filipino seafarers on board.
In January, Greek-registered MV St. Nikolas manned by 18 Filipino sailors was also seized in the Gulf of Oman. Ambassador Manalo also negotiated for consular access and eventually their release.
De Vega said he met Iranian Ambassador to Manila Yousef Esmaeil Zadeh Tuesday.
He said the Iranian ambassador promised that the Filipino seafarers will be “home very soon.”
“We hope in a month our nationals will be released,” De Vega told Iranian Ambassador Yousef.
He hopes that like in the case of MT St. Nikolas, the four Filipino seafarers will be released as soon as the owners of the ship find their replacement.
“Our four Filipino seafarers are non-officers and can be easily replaced. The Iranians are more interested on the ship, and not our crew,” he added.
Travel advisory for Filipinos going to Israel
MEANWHILE, Filipinos who plan to go on pilgrimage or visit Israel are advised to defer their travel until tension ebbs in the region.
“The Philippine Embassy in Tel-aviv continues to recommend that non-essential travel from the Philippines to Israel be postponed indefinitely, or until such time the situation has stabilized,” the DFA said in a statement.
“If travel to Israel is absolutely necessary, Filipinos are advised to follow all precautions,” it added.
The Embassy does not, however, recommend yet raising to Alert Level 2 the evacuation contingency in Israel.
Alert Level 2 means OFWS in Israel should be prepared for possible evacuation, and that there shall be no further deployment of OFWS.
There are more than 30,000 Filipino workers in Israel, most of them caregivers.
As for the rest of the Filipinos in the Middle East, they are also advised “to be alert and updated” with the security pronouncements of their host governments.
ere are more than 1 million Filipinos in the Middle East, mostly in Saudi Arabia. ere are around 2,000 Filipinos living in Iran.