DMW Investigates Disappearance of Filipino Seafarer from Vessel

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has initiated a thorough investigation into the disappearance of 28-year-old Filipino seafarer Ralph Bobiles, who went missing on Dec. 5, 2024, while onboard the MV Prestige Ace. DMW chief Hans Leo Cacdac announced the investigation during a media briefing in Makati City, revealing that they have suspended the license of the Parola Maritime Agency Corporation, the manning firm responsible for Bobiles’ deployment, due to their failure to provide a satisfactory explanation of the incident. The DMW was not provided with any investigation report or captain’s report on the disappearance.

Cacdac expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of cooperation from the license-manning agency and the ship’s crew, as only five out of the 16 seafarers were presented to the department for questioning. The MV Prestige Ace had just departed from Veracruz Port in Mexico and was en route to Baltimore, Maryland in the United States when Bobiles vanished. Despite this, the crew failed to report his disappearance to US authorities upon arrival, raising concerns about possible negligence. Cacdac emphasized that they are holding the licensed manning agency and the ship owner accountable until a full explanation is provided.

Speculations that Bobiles may have taken his own life were rejected by Cacdac, citing conversations with his wife where he expressed excitement about an upcoming promotion. The recently passed Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers mandates that families of missing seafarers must be given access to investigative reports and relevant information. The DMW is committed to pursuing legal action to ensure accountability and justice for Bobiles and his family, including his three young children. Cacdac emphasized the importance of transparency and the family’s right to know the truth about what happened to their loved one.

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