28 December 2005 – The Philippine Embassy in Manama reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the remaining four (4) Filipino seamen of M/V "Audrey” who went ashore on Christmas Day after almost a year of being abandoned by the owner and charterer of the said tugboat, is now under the custody of the Embassy.   M/V “Audrey” was the subject of a maritime claim before a Bahraini court wherein the Filipino seafarers are asserting their priority over unpaid wages.

Charge d’Affaires a.i. Jose dela Rosa Burgos thanked the Royal Family, His Highness, Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Dr. Dhafer Ahmed Al-Umran, Director of Bilateral Relations, the Bahrain Port, and other non-governmental organizations in giving their best to help the plight of Filipino seamen Romeo C. Dacanay, Ruben J. Arcangel, Jr., Luis Lamigo, Jr., and Novi T. Peregua.

The Philippine Embassy in Bahrain led by CDA Burgos and Captain AH Haji Hassan of Bahrain International Seafarer's Society (BISS) boarded the M/V "Audrey" to fetch the Filipino seamen.   After completion of formalities, the Filipino seafarers will be repatriated to the Philippines to join their families for the New Year. The boarding officials saw the sad living condition of the sailors having not paid of their salaries for one year. The authorities are trying their best to finally resolve the legal dispute between the owner and charterer to recover the sailors' salaries and port fees due to the Bahraini Government.  The action taken by the host government to have the M/V "Audrey" anchored at the Al-Jazeera Port area was a much-welcomed gesture by bringing the vessel closer to port.  M/V "Audrey" was towed closer to port through the courtesy of Al-Jazira Shipping Company.

Both the owner and charterer cannot be contacted, in defiance to the Court's summons. The Charterer (Mr. Yasser Marzook of Inventra General Trading in Dubai) has accused the owner (Filipino Captain Ricardo Vincer Jorge) of failure to deliver the agreed services of towing the charterer's scrap tugboat from Kuwait to Dubai for repair.  M/V "Audrey" developed engine problem while in the high seas between the UAE and Kuwait.

The Charterer sought assistance for M/V "Audrey" to be towed to Bahrain on 16 December 2004; hence the court battle ensued between the two parties with the nine (9) sailors caught in between.  Bahrain authorities will not rule out the possibility of putting the vessel for auction in time for the buyer to make the badly needed repairs.

The tugboat had initially nine (9) all-Filipino crew. The other four seafarers: Genghis A. Contig, Romy N. Grantos, Uldarico Ustares, and Gregorio Cueto, have been repatriated earlier.   In June 2005, one of the crewmen Albert M. Sampollo succumbed to a heart attack. The last time the sailors stepped on dry land was six months ago in June 2005.

In behalf of the Philippine Embassy in Bahrain, CDA Burgos also thanked Rev. Stephen Miller (Seafarers' Welfare Officer based in the UAE), Captain Peter Gronberg, Managing Director of Gulf Agency Council; Michael Greeve, General Manager of Basrec; Mr. Essa Yateem, Director of Maritime Affairs of Directorate General of Bahrain Port; and  Captain Gazi Slaice also of Bahrain Port.   The Bahrain Coast Guard will keep the M/V "Audrey" under its watch until the monetary claims are fully settled. END
 
 
 
 

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