Philippines probes deportation of 18 Pinoy seafarers

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) will look into the case of 18 Filipino seafarers who were reportedly forcibly terminated from their jobs on a cruise ship in the US state of Virginia, deported and banned from reentering the United States.

“We will talk to the cruise ship workers who have been deported to gather more details,” Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac posted on social media.

Cacdac said appropriate assistance would be extended to the Filipino seafarers, who have valid working visas and had been previously cleared to work in the US.

Based on reports, some of the Filipino seafarers were handcuffed and leg-cuffed by the US Customs and Border Protection when they were forcibly removed from the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship.

The 18 said their cell phones were confiscated and they were treated like criminals while in detention.

The DMW also continues to provide assistance to the Filipino crew of the Greek carrier Eternity C, which capsized in the Red Sea following missile attacks by Houthi rebels.

“We continue to account for the missing seafarers and will sustain the government’s support until they are reunited with their families,” Cacdac said.

He said the DMW and Department of Foreign Affairs would continue to exhaust all efforts to account for the missing Filipino seafarers.