Filipino Seafarers Held by Houthi Rebels to be Released: DFA Confirms

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has confirmed that the 17 Filipino seafarers being held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels will eventually be released. The hostages are reported to be in good condition, and efforts are ongoing to secure their release as soon as possible. The seafarers were among a group of foreigners taken hostage during the hijacking of a cargo vessel in the Red Sea on November 19, a crucial shipping route connecting Europe with the Middle East and Asia.

DFA spokesman Ma. Teresita Daza stated that concerned agencies have been making diplomatic representations with governments to address the situation. Senator Maria Josefa Imelda “Imee” Marcos has expressed concern that the Filipino seafarers could become “collateral damage” in the Israeli-Hamas war, as Yemeni rebels sympathetic to Hamas militants seized an Israeli-owned cargo ship with Filipino workers onboard. She has urged the DFA and Department of Migrant Workers to negotiate the release of the Filipino seafarers as the Israeli-Hamas conflict expands beyond the Gaza Strip. Filipino seafarers make up 25 percent of those employed in the global maritime industry, highlighting the importance of their safe release.

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