Int'l community urged to help free 17 Pinoy seafarers

Speaker Martin Romualdez on Thursday called on the international community to help the Philippines in seeking freedom for the 17 Filipino seafarers who were taken hostage by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

"We call on the international community to join us in condemning this act of piracy and to assist in any way possible to resolve this crisis. The Philippines is committed to working tirelessly to ensure our citizens' safe return and address the underlying issues that lead to such incidents," Romualdez said in a statement.

On Wednesday, the Foreign Affairs Department confirmed that 17 Filipinos were among the foreigners who were held hostage after Houthis seized the ship earlier this week. The ship was on its way to India.

The DFA said the vessel was targeted because it was Israeli-owned, although the operator was a Japanese company.

Crew members of the vessel were from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Mexico, and Romania.

Meanwhile, Romualdez said the House of Representatives is working closely with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure seafarers' safety and well-being.

Romualdez said they also support the DFA’s efforts to secure the immediate and safe release of the seafarers.

Earlier, Marcos said the Philippine government is working to safely bring home the 17 Filipino seafarers aboard a ship seized by Yemen's Houthis in the Red Sea.

In a statement issued Wednesday night, Marcos said, "The safety of our 17 Filipino seafarers is of utmost concern."

"Our seafarers are not alone. The government is doing everything in our power to bring them safely home," he said.

Marcos added the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is coordinating with its counterparts in Iran, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia for updates. — Joahna Lei Casilao/RSJ, GMA Integrated News