‘Ban Pinoys on ships sailing to Somalia’

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang has ordered a ban on the deployment of Filipino seafarers on board vessels that would pass through the pirate-infested waters of Somalia.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the ban would be on top of the earlier directives issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to manning agencies of ships plying the Gulf of Aden to follow the guidance of the International Maritime Bureau to stay clear by at least 200 nautical miles the 3,300-mile coastline of Somalia.

All commercial ships were also required to stay within the designated coordinates of maritime security patrol area, which is being patrolled by the naval and air assets of the combined Task Force 150.

“We are ordering a ban on the deployment of Filipino seamen on ships that pass through pirate-infested areas,” Remonde said over dzRB.

Earlier, President Arroyo ordered the Department of National Defense (DND) to dispatch a naval liaison officer to the combined maritime forces led by the 5th US Navy Fleet based in Manama, Bahrain as the Philippines’ contribution to the campaign against the pirates.

“We are stepping up the government’s efforts to secure the release of 100 or so remaining seamen that are still held hostage by stepping up coordination with the manning agencies and ship owners and working closely with the United Nations,” Remonde said.

He said this policy taken by the government has resulted in the repatriation of 227 seafarers.

“So it is not true that we’ve not done anything, this policy has worked,” Remonde said.

“The government is ensuring that the ships carrying Filipino workers should traverse only along the security corridor, preferably to do so in convoy formation,” he said.

He said the Philippine government is issuing regular advisories and is consistently reminding ship principals to implement precautionary measures on their vessels passing through the high-risk zone.

Remonde said the government is also supporting the recommendation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for vessels to take proper defensive measures when going through high-risk areas.

DFA is hopeful

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the Somali pirates have no “political reason” to retaliate against the Philippines just because it is a close ally of the United States.

DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr. said the Filipino seafarers are caught in a difficult situation and should be treated like workers from any country.

Capt. Richard Phillips, who was taken hostage by pirates who tried to hijack the US-flagged Maersk Alabama, was rescued in an operation of Navy Seals that was personally approved by President Barack Obama.

“I don’t want to speculate on the long-term effect of the incident involving the captain of Maersk Alabama but my report this time is all of our seafarers, the 105 Filipinos, are all safe. As I said we were able to effect the release of more than 200 of them through peaceful negotiations,” Conejos said.

The DFA confirmed on Friday the release last Wednesday of 17 Filipino seamen on board the Greek-owned bulk carrier MV Titan captured by Somali pirates.

The release has reduced the number of Filipino seafarers in the custody of pirates to 105, involving seven vessels.

Conejos reiterated the government’s “no ransom” policy in dealing with the pirates’ demands.

The government’s approach, according to Conejos, has resulted in the release and repatriation of 227 Filipino seafarers since 2006.

He said the government has stepped up both preventive and remedial actions to address the increasing number of piracy incidents and hostage-taking involving Filipino seafarers in the Gulf of Aden and in the Indian Ocean.

The DFA has long imposed an advisory against travel to Somalia.

Conejos said Vice President Noli de Castro, Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, and other officials have met a number of times with the manning agencies and representatives of the shipping industry.

“We have also asked the Philippine Navy and the (DND) to immediately dispatch a naval liaison officer to the Combined Maritime Forces in Manama, Bahrain as the Philippine contribution to this campaign,” he added. – Marvin Sy with Pia Lee-Brago, Mary Jessa Caritativo, Franchesca Marie Señeres, Philippine Star