The five Filipino seafarers who were among the 26 Asian hostages held
for four years by Somali pirates have returned to the country Friday,
October 28.
Arnel Balbero, Elmer Balbero, Ferdinand Dalit, Akes Edwas Jr. and Antonio Libres Jr. were emotional upon seeing their respective families at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
“Natutuwa kami. Kahit wala kaming makain, basta kasama namin ang aming pamilya ngayong Pasko (We are happy. We don’t mind having nothing to eat, what matters is we are reunited with our families this Christmas),” Arnel Balbero told reporters in an ambush interview.
The seafarers arrived on board Emirates flight EK 332 around 4:30 p.m. They were joined by four Cambodian nationals who were also captured by the Somali pirates.
The Cambodian seafarers were given permission to stay in the country until representatives from Cambodia arrive to pick them up.
Foreign affairs secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. and Cambodian ambassador to the Philippines Tuot Panha personally welcomed the freed Filipino and Cambodian seafarers.
Yasay pledged government financial assistance to the five Filipinos.
As to whether ransom was paid for their freedom just as one of the hostages suspected, the DFA said it has yet to confirm that information, ABS-CBN News reported.
The Filipinos and Cambodians were among the 26 Asian crew of the Omani-flagged fishing vessel Naham 3 that was seized by Somali pirates south of the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean in 2012. The other seamen came from China, Indonesia, Taiwan and Vietnam.
The international group Hostage Support Partners helped negotiate their release.
The post 5 Pinoys Kidnapped in Somalia Return Home appeared first on Manila Bulletin.
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