Filipino seafarers’ right to refuse dangerous voyage was ignored —DMW

The Filipino seafarer who died aboard the Dutch-flagged general cargo ship MV Minervagracht and his compatriots were not given the chance to exercise their “right to refuse to sail” or even to be consulted before the vessel passed through one of the world’s most dangerous maritime zones, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.

The DMW on Wednesday confirmed the death of a Filipino crewmember of the Minervagracht, a day after it was announced by the vessel's operator. 

The ship was attacked by Houthi rebels in the Gulf of Aden on September 29. There were 12 Filipinos among the crew. Ten have safely returned to the Philippines, while one is being treated for his injuries in Djibouti.

Under DMW policy, Filipino seafarers may decline deployment if their vessel is bound to transit the Gulf of Aden or the Red Sea—areas frequently targeted by Houthi attacks. According to DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac, preliminary findings show that the 12 Filipino crew members on board were not given the opportunity to exercise their right.

“Inutusan silang dumaan doon without observing yung procedure na kailangang tanungin sila at kailangang at bigyan sila ng pagkakataon na huwag sumakay sa barko na dadaan sa Gulf of Aden, yun wala naman yun,” Cacdac said.

(They were ordered to sail to the area without observing the procedure of asking them and giving them the opportunity not to sail on the ship through the Gulf of Aden.)

Cacdac added that the ship’s management may have violated other regulations, including its failure to inform the DMW before entering the conflict-prone waters.

“Isa pang mabigat na requirement, yung reporting to the DMW bago pa dumaan ang barko doon, wala na naman po yun,” he said.

(That is a major requirement—reporting to the DMW before going to the area, and they did not do it.)

Cacdac, together with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the seafarer’s wife and his sister, is currently in Ethiopia. They were en route to Djibouti to visit another Filipino crewman—the cook, who was injured in the attack—and to repatriate the fatality.

“Pagdating namin sa Djibouti, na kasama namin yung asawa at kapatid, together with the DFA, itong Philippine Embassy, itong chief owner, asikasuinan natin yung pag-uwi una, nung labi, nasa way natin ang tripulante. At pangalawa, yung repatriation ng recovering OFW, yung seafarer,” Cacdac said.

(When we got to Djibouti, we are taking care of the repatriation of the remains and the repatriation of the recovering OFW, the other seafarer.)

Defending the ship

Initial reports from the DMW indicated that the Filipino seafarer continued performing his duties until the very end, ensuring the safety of his shipmates during the rebel assault.

“This is just the general facts that I gathered. Yung dalawa ay nasa starboard side o nasa kanang bahagi, perhaps still performing their work. At yun yung starboard side kasi yun yung kaharap ng coastline ng Yemen, kung saan nanggaling yung atake. Yung sampu na ilikas na sa kabilang bahagi nung barko. Kaya ganun talaga mayroong mga tripulante tayo na magigiting at patuloy ang paninilbihan on board kahit na humaharap na sa danger,” Cacdac said.

(There were two on the starboard side, perhaps still performing their work. And the starboard side, which faces the Yemen coastline, is where the attack came from. The ten [Filipino seaman] who were rescued were on the other side of the ship. So we really do have courageous seafarers who will continue to do their duty even in the face of danger.)

The DMW and DFA are coordinating with the ship’s owner and international authorities to ensure accountability for the incident and to facilitate the safe return of the Filipino crew. — BM, GMA Integrated News