Philippine Vice-President Noli de Castro has said a local manning agency that hired nine Filipino seafarers to work for a supply boat in Nigeria is responsible for the repatriation of the stranded seafarers.
In a press statement, de Castro said his office has contacted the office of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to facilitate the immediate repatriation of the stranded seamen.
De Castro, who is also Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers, identified the nine seafarers as Rogelio Andales, Novelito Trapsi, Raymon de Domingo, Gloriand Sales, Michael Domingo, Alfredo Ferrer, Elmer Cruz, Jebb Alonte and George Parreño.
De Castro said the nine are part of an 18-man crew on board M/T Meredith and were said to have been attacked by pirates last January 21 while in Bonny Terminal in Nigeria.
Based on the report received by the Office of the Vice President, the Filipino crewmen were able to escape pirates due to the maneuverings done by the ship captain, Capt. Hilario Martinez, and thereafter brought M/T Meredith to Lagos.
The crew reportedly transferred to EVA 2, a supply boat in Nigeria. Nine of the 18 seafarers were able to get assistance for their repatriation while the other nine are still in Lagos.
They were contracted by local manning agency SEAGEM Maritime Int’l. The ship is reportedly owned by Corinthian Maritime SA, Golden Carrier Shipping and Maritime Management Synergy SA. EVA 2 is also owned by Corinthian Maritime SA.
De Castro said he already contacted SEAGEM Maritime Int’l to answer the repatriation cost of the group but the latter explained that their agency is currently under preventive suspension by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
He said that OWWA Administrator Carmelita Dimzon has already advised that despite suspension, SEAGEM is duty bound to repatriate the stranded seafarers.
“If SEAGEM cannot meet their obligation immediately, OWWA can shoulder the expenses of repatriation subject to reimbursement by SEAGEM,” he said.