Three Filipino seafarers were sentenced to 15 years in Algeria over alleged drug charges. Their wives are pleading with President Marcos for urgent government intervention.
DAVAO CITY (June 7) — The wives of three Filipino seafarers detained in Algeria for alleged drug trafficking are pleading for the intervention of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., urging the Philippine government to secure the release of their husbands, who they insist are innocent.
In a press conference held on June 6 in Metro Manila, the women made an emotional appeal to the President following the 15-year prison sentence handed down to their spouses over an incident that occurred in 2023.
According to the families, the three men, part of a crew of eight Filipino seafarers, were arrested in Berrouaghia, Algeria, after authorities discovered nearly 36 kilograms of cocaine aboard the commercial vessel they were working on. After legal proceedings, five of the eight Filipino crew members were acquitted and released, while three were convicted and remain incarcerated.
“We are here today to ask for help, especially from President Marcos. We beg him to assist our husbands who are in prison in Algeria,” said Joy, wife of the vessel’s chief officer. “It has been almost two years since our husbands have been there, suffering for crimes they did not commit.” A wife said.
The women maintained that the men were performing their assigned duties on board and had no knowledge or involvement in the illegal drug shipment.
In March, with the help of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the wives were able to visit their husbands in Algeria. They said the visit confirmed the dire conditions of the detainees, whose physical and mental health are at risk due to prolonged detention in a foreign prison.
The seafarers were deployed by the Eastern Mediterranean Manning Agency, which has continued to support the families by providing double the seafarers’ salaries since the incident.
In a letter dated June 2 addressed to the Philippine Embassy in Libya, which has jurisdiction over Algeria, the families expressed their growing concern:
“As family members, we are extremely concerned for their safety, health, and mental state during this difficult time. Your support and communication would offer us reassurance and hope as we continue to endure this hardship,” they wrote.
The families are now seeking the direct involvement of President Marcos to request humanitarian consideration or diplomatic negotiation for the release or transfer of the convicted seafarers, as allowed under international law and bilateral agreements.
As of this writing, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Office of the President have yet to issue a public response.
Edith Z Caduaya studied Bachelor of Science in Development Communication at the University of Southern Mindanao.
The chairperson of Mindanao Independent Press Council (MIPC) Inc.
