Marcos urges respect for freedom of navigation following Houthi attack

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. over the weekend called for respect for freedom of navigation following the deadly Houthi attack that killed three seafarers including two Filipinos.

In a Sunday statement, Marcos said the government was committed to ensuring the safety of Filipino seafarers and assisting in the return of the crew members of the True Confidence which was hit by a missile.

“The Philippines joins global calls for the end to this conflict and for full respect for the principle of freedom of navigation,” the statement read.

“We remain firmly committed to the safety and welfare of our seafarers and overseas Filipino workers in the region,” it added.

The Houthi rebel group claimed responsibility for the missile attack that hit the Greek-operated True Confidence about 50 nautical miles off the port of Aden last Wednesday.

There were 15 Filipinos among the crew, two of whom were killed while two others were severely injured. The third fatality was Vietnamese.

Reports indicate that the Houthi group, an ally of Iran, has been attacking ships in the Red Sea starting November 2023, in solidarity with the Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Survivors of the True Confidence attack — 20 crew members and three armed guards — were taken to a hospital in Djibouti by an Indian warship, with the Filipinos repatriated with the assistance of the Philippine Embassy in Cairo.

Marcos said the government was also in contact with the families of the two seafarers who died, and “will spare no effort” in bringing their remains home.

He also instructed the Departments of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Migrant Workers (DMW), Health (DOH), and Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to assist the seafarers and their families.

For its part, the DMW earlier said it coordinated with the principal shipowner and manning agency to work on the repatriation of the Filipino crew members, as it urged shipowners passing the Red Sea and the Aden Gulf to comply with the expanded “high-risk areas” designation.

The Houthis were also holding 17 Filipino seafarers hostage.

The Filipinos were abducted when the Houthis seized a cargo ship in the southern Red Sea in November 2023. — DVM, GMA Integrated News