Legal aid assured for 8 jailed seafarers

The Philippine Embassy in Libya on Tuesday vowed to provide legal assistance to the eight Filipino seafarers jailed and facing possible drug charges in Algeria.

In an interview on DAILY TRIBUNE's digital program Usapang OFW, Philippine Embassy in Libya Charge d'Affaires Alan Roi Q. Gabriola said the Philippine government is prepared to provide lawyers for the jailed Filipinos once their families make such a request.

Gabriola explained that, at the moment, the legal representation of the detained Filipinos is being shouldered by Eastern Mediterranean Manning Agency Philippines, their recruitment agency.

"The request came from the next of kin. Currently, the company is doing its obligation to provide representation for the detained Filipinos," he said.

"Should it come to the point where the next of kin requests for legal representation from the embassy, we will talk about it," he added.

Last week, Capt. Edgardo Flores, former owner representative and now consultant of Eastern Mediterranean Manning, took his concern for the jailed Filipinos to "Usapang OFW."

Flores said the seafarers, whose names were withheld at the request of their families, were taken into custody by Algerian police on 28 July.

The Greek manning agency said the eight were arrested after Algerian authorities discovered 35.8 kilograms of alleged cocaine on board the Harris, the Maltese-flagged container vessel the Filipinos were crewing.