14-6-2024 (MANILA) The Philippine government has strongly condemned the attack carried out by Houthi rebels on a merchant vessel sailing in the Red Sea, vowing to take all necessary measures to secure the safety and well-being of the Filipino crew members on board.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed that the Greek-owned but Liberian-flagged ship, MV Tutor, which was struck by a Houthi unmanned surface vessel (USV) on June 12, carried Filipino crew members.
DFA Spokesperson Teresita Daza expressed the government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the safe return of all Filipino workers on board the attacked vessel. “The Philippine government will take all necessary measures to secure the safety and well-being of the Filipino crew on board and ensure justice,” Daza asserted.
The spokesperson also took the opportunity to call upon all United Nations member states to uphold their responsibility in “protecting the human rights of seafarers,” who play a vital role in the global maritime industry.
PANOORIN: Sitwasyon sa MV Tutor na binomba kamakailan ng Houthi rebels umano sa Red Sea.
Patuloy na nananawagan sa pamahalaan ng tulong ang mga Pinoy na tripulante na stranded sa naturang barko.
(Courtesy: Emerson Loria)
BUONG ULAT: https://t.co/4ZvsrKnkxT pic.twitter.com/KwSN25c6pp
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) June 14, 2024
The Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have been engaged in a series of attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden regions, citing their actions as a show of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Filipino crew members, who comprise a significant portion of the global maritime workforce, have found themselves caught in the crossfire of this campaign. The Philippines is a major source of seafarers, with its nationals accounting for 25% of the approximately 1.5 million sea-based workers globally.
The attacks by Houthi rebels have already claimed the lives of two Filipino seafarers in March, when a Houthi ballistic missile struck the M/V True Confidence, a Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned bulk carrier traversing the Gulf of Aden.
In a bid to prevent further casualties, the Department of Migrant Workers issued a ban in April on the deployment of Filipino seafarers on all ships traveling through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Both areas have been designated as “high-risk areas” and “war-like zones” by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Bargaining Forum (IBF).
The Philippine government’s condemnation of the Houthi rebels’ attack and its commitment to ensuring the safety of its citizens highlights the gravity of the situation and the potential implications for the country’s significant maritime workforce.
