Gov’t probes safety protocol compliance amid fatal drone strikes
Castro said the DMW is determining whether deployment and protection protocols were properly observed, including whether required risk reports were submitted prior to the voyage.
Castro said the DMW is determining whether deployment and protection protocols were properly observed, including whether required risk reports were submitted prior to the voyage.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to extend all possible legal assistance to the families of two Filipino seafarers killed in recent drone strikes on ships operating in the northern Black Sea.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said Marcos instructed DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac to coordinate with the families of the victims to ensure support and legal aid are provided.
Castro said the DMW is determining whether deployment and protection protocols were properly observed, including whether required risk reports were submitted prior to the voyage.
“The DMW, according to Secretary Hans Cacdac, is looking into whether reports were filed for the protection of our Filipino seafarers,” Castro said. “If they find that local manning agencies or foreign principals violated rules, their licenses may be revoked.”
The Palace official stressed that the government is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident to protect the welfare and safety of Filipino seafarers, particularly those deployed in conflict-affected regions.
Meanwhile, Castro welcomed reports that four Philippine-registered vessels successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.
She called the development encouraging, citing an understanding reached between the Philippines and Iran regarding the safe passage of vessels carrying Filipino crew members.
Castro added that Cacdac is verifying whether the vessels properly reported the presence of Filipino seafarers on board during their transit through the Strait of Hormuz, in accordance with government protection protocols for overseas workers in high-risk zones.
