Sara Duterte seeks justice for Filipino seafarers killed in Houthi attack
'Ipinapaabot ko, kasama ang buong Tanggapan ng Pangalawang Pangulo, ang aming pakikipagdalamhati sa pamilya ng tatlo nating kababayan na OFW seafarers na namatay sakay ng MV Eternity C,' Duterte said in a video message.
(I, along with the entire Office of the Vice President, extend our condolences to the families of our three OFW seafarers who died aboard the MV Eternity C.)
'Aming pinagdarasal ang hustisya para sa kanilang tatlo at kaligtasan ng kanilang mga kasamahan,' she added.
(We pray for justice for the three of them, as well as for the safety of their fellow crew members.)
The cargo ship Eternity C sustained engine damage after it was hit during an assault by the Iran-backed Houthi group on Monday, July 7. The Liberia-flagged, Greek-managed vessel had 22 crew members on board—21 of whom are Filipinos and one is Russian.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said Thursday that three more Filipino crew members were rescued from the ship, bringing the total number to eight.
Cacdac, however, said that the 13 other Filipino sailors remain unaccounted for, and as many as four deaths from the Houthi attack still need to be verified.
The Department of Foreign Affairs had said two Filipino seafarers were "most likely" killed in the incident. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
7 hours ago
- GMA Network
DND on PCA ruling 9th anniversary: Rule of law matters
An anti-submarine warfare frigate and helicopter of the Philippine Navy deployed in the West Philippine Sea. Photo: Wescom The Department of National Defense (DND) on Saturday said the Permanent Court Arbitration (PCA) ruling on the South China Sea in 2016 showed that the rule of law matters. "On this ninth anniversary of the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling on the South China Sea, we are reminded of something simple yet powerful: the rule of law matters. For countries like the Philippines, an archipelagic nation whose very existence is intertwined with the maritime domain, respect for international law is not just a principle. It is a lifeline," DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said in a statement. "The Arbitral Award, which clearly affirmed our sovereign rights over our exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the West Philippine Sea, is not merely a legal pronouncement. It is a resounding declaration that the only legitimate guide for the conduct of nations is the rule of law – never the imposition of might," he added. Teodoro said the Philippines views the PCA ruling "not just as a cornerstone of our foreign and security policy, but as an irreducible truth." "We continue to uphold the Award because it reflects what is right and just – not just for us, but for all coastal states whose rights must be respected under international law. No amount of pressure, reinterpretation, or power plays can erase that truth," he said. "Let it be abundantly clear: defending our sovereign rights and jurisdiction is not an act of provocation. It is the sacred and fundamental duty of the Republic – an expression of our responsibility to our nation, to the Filipino people, and to the countless generations of Filipinos who will inherit this sacred trust," Teodoro said. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) meanwhile on Saturday reaffirmed its commitment to uphold the 2016 ruling of the PCA and "protect what is rightfully ours" in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). "As the protector of the nation's territorial integrity, the AFP remains steadfast in its duty to uphold this ruling through deliberate and sustained action," it said in a statement. The Philippines on Friday renewed its call to China to comply with the nine-year-old arbitration ruling that nullified Beijing's sweeping claims in the South China Sea, saying all countries, 'regardless of size, might, or capacity must meet their duties and obligations' under international law. Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro made the call a day before the anniversary of the July 12, 2016 ruling by The Hague tribunal that she said 'sets reason and right in the South China Sea.' 'Nine years hence, its legitimacy continues to be tested, challenged, and subverted, putting not only the Philippines' maritime interests in peril, but also the regional stability and prosperity we are all working so hard to achieve,' Lazaro said in a recorded video message at a forum commemorating the tribunal ruling hosted by Stratbase ADR Institute. The Philippines filed a case before The Hague-based PCA in January 2013 contesting China's excessive claims — anchored on its unilateral nine-dash-line map — in the South China Sea. On July 12, 2016, the PCA issued a ruling that invalidated Beijing's massive claims in South China Sea. "The Tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line'," the PCA said. "[Although] two Chinese navigators and fishermen, as well as those of other States, had historically made use of the islands in the South China Sea, there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources," it added. China, however, has repeatedly refused to recognize the PCA ruling and said it does not accept any claim or action based on the ruling. "With its ruling, the tribunal violated the principle of state consent, went beyond its authority to hear the case and perverted law," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbing told a regular news conference in July 2023. The Philippines and China continue to be embroiled in a territorial dispute. READ: Defending Our Territory: The West Philippine Sea —KG, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
Palace on Alan Cayetano's Duterte house arrest resolution: 'Noted'
''Noted.'' This was the response of Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro when asked for comment on the resolution filed by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano calling the Philippine government to push for the interim release of former president Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC). The senator also urged the administration to enter into an agreement to place Duterte under house arrest at the Philippine Embassy in the Netherlands. According to Castro, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin ''Boying'' Remulla already made a remark about the request for interim release. ''Nagsalita na po ang SOJ Boying Remulla patungkol po sa interim release. At kung may ganiyan pong mga suggestions mula kay Senator Alan Cayetano, noted,'' she said during Friday's briefing. Manila Representative Bienvenido Abante, who chaired the House committee on human rights in the 19th Congress, expressed no objection to the proposed Senate resolution saying it may have no impact at all. "The resolution does not have any bearing at all dahil 'yung resolution naman is asking the Philippine government, di ba? And the request should come from the Philippine government kung papagamit nila 'yung ating embassy sa Netherlands para 'yung ating dating Pangulo ay doon siya mag-stay," Abante told reporters in an online interview. "I believe that Sen. Allan would have the right to file any resolution. Yet sa akin, I don't think there is any bearing on that as far as the ICC is concerned," he added. The legislator said there is no assurance yet if the Philippine government will heed the resolution in case it is adopted by the Senate. But even if the government does, Abante, said, it is also unknown what action the International Criminal Court will take on the matter. "Well, it remains to be seen kung 'yan ay aprubahan ng ating pamahalaan. As far as I'm concerned, kahit na po siguro ang ating pamahalaan ay mag-request sa Netherlands about that, I do not know if the ICC would listen sapagkat palagay ko mukhang hindi na yata pinakinggan 'yung petition ng kampo ni dating pangulo na siya ay ilagay sa isang o itangkilik ng ibang bansa. So kung 'yan ang nangyari, I don't think that the ICC would also try to accommodate him on that," Abante explained. He reiterated that he has no objection to the resolution especially if it concerns the health of the former president. "I do not have any problem with that actually. If the government will be able to justify that resolution, baka maaari. Sa akin, medyo okay na rin kung, halimbawa, he'll be staying at the embassy ng Pilipinas for health consideration. Again, gusto ko lang sabihin na I do not know if the ICC would actually listen. But sa akin, walang problema yon," he said. "Siguro naman, I think the Philippine Embassy also has, perhaps, a mandate to help the Filipino abroad on that consideration. Palagay ko naman, titingnan din maigi ng ating embahada ang health condition ng ating dating Pangulo because that would be their concern," Abante added. ACT Teachers Party-list Rep Antonio Tinio, for his part, expressed belief that Cayetano's proposal cannot be implemented because the Philippines is no longer a party to the Rome Statute. "The proposal to have Duterte detained in the Philippine embassy in The Hague is a non-starter, since the ICC will only consider interim release to a member state. Too bad for him now, since Duterte himself caused the Philippines to withdraw from the ICC. Or does the senator expect special treatment for Duterte from the ICC? In which case it's not going to happen," Tinio said in a statement. "Yet another senator playing to the gallery, telling Duterte supporters what they want to hear to rally the faithful and keep them agitated," he added. Duterte was arrested in the Philippines by local authorities on March 11, based on a warrant of arrest issued by the ICC. He is currently detained in the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague. His daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, earlier said that the former president has lost a lot of weight since his detention in The Hague, describing him now as 'skin and bones.' She also said that her father has asked that his remains be cremated should he pass away while detained in The Hague.—AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
Sara Duterte seeks justice for Filipino seafarers killed in Houthi attack
Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday condoled with the bereaved families of the Filipino crew members who reportedly died when their commercial vessel was attacked by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. 'Ipinapaabot ko, kasama ang buong Tanggapan ng Pangalawang Pangulo, ang aming pakikipagdalamhati sa pamilya ng tatlo nating kababayan na OFW seafarers na namatay sakay ng MV Eternity C,' Duterte said in a video message. (I, along with the entire Office of the Vice President, extend our condolences to the families of our three OFW seafarers who died aboard the MV Eternity C.) 'Aming pinagdarasal ang hustisya para sa kanilang tatlo at kaligtasan ng kanilang mga kasamahan,' she added. (We pray for justice for the three of them, as well as for the safety of their fellow crew members.) The cargo ship Eternity C sustained engine damage after it was hit during an assault by the Iran-backed Houthi group on Monday, July 7. The Liberia-flagged, Greek-managed vessel had 22 crew members on board—21 of whom are Filipinos and one is Russian. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said Thursday that three more Filipino crew members were rescued from the ship, bringing the total number to eight. Cacdac, however, said that the 13 other Filipino sailors remain unaccounted for, and as many as four deaths from the Houthi attack still need to be verified. The Department of Foreign Affairs had said two Filipino seafarers were "most likely" killed in the incident. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
