Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople disclosed today that the two Filipino seafarers who were held hostage together with their German captain by an armed group in Nigeria, have arrived safely in the country and are now reunited with their families.

Messrs. Henry D. Vita and Jipsyday J. Rodil were originally taken at gunpoint in the early dawn of 23 June 2003 near Bomadi, Delta State, Nigeria.  They were then working aboard the tugboat Seabulk Cygnet II in the concession area of the Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC) of Nigeria.
They were released on July 5 and July 6 respectively.

A representative from the Office of Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) and some members of their families met Messrs. Vita and Rodil at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last Friday, 11 July 2003, when they arrived home on board an Air France flight from Paris.

The seafarers underwent thorough medical tests after their release, but after considering their harrowing two weeks of captivity, the OUMWA has referred their case to the General Administration and Support Services Group of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for further counselling.

Messrs. Vita and Rodil and their families have expressed their gratitude to the Department of Foreign Affairs for securing the two seafarer’s release and have indicated their desire to pay a courtesy call on Secretary Ople to personally convey their their sentiments.  The Secretary has agreed to receive them at the earliest opportunity. – END