DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
P R E S S  R E L E A S E
www.dfa.gov.ph                                                                                           2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines                                                                                 Tel. No. 834-4000 
SFA-AGR-379-06                                                                                                                                                                                                                             18 May 2006

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY, LONDON SENDS REPRESENTATIVES TO PROVIDE CONSULAR ASSISTANCE TO
OFW DETAINED FOLLOWING DEATH OF FELLOW OFW ABOARD "QUEEN MARY 2"

18 May 2006 — Philippine Ambassador to London, UK Edgardo B. Espiritu reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that police authorities in Hampshire have allowed Embassy representatives to meet with OFW Rodolfo Juangca, the Filipino seafarer who was detained and being investigated over the death of fellow Filipino seafarer Joel J. Tagaan following a fight aboard the cruise ship Queen Mary 2 on 12 May 2006.

Ambassador Espiritu said the consular assistance would follow after Hampshire Police formally arrested OFW Juangca on Wednesday, 17 May 2006, after the Queen Mary 2 docked at her home port in Southampton. The Ambassador added that OFW Juangca was "arrested on suspicion of murder of Joel J. Tagaan and is now in police custody at the Lyndhurst Police Station in Hampshire."

Ambassador Espiritu informed the Department that "with this consular access, the Embassy representatives will meet with Ms. Julie Mortimer of the Hampshire Police, and Mr. Devereux, representative of Cunard Line, owner of the UK-registered Queen Mary 2, at Southampton on 18 May 2006 on the arrangements to meet OFW Juangca at the police station and advice him of his legal rights under UK laws as well as provide other consular assistance."

UK laws require that an accused must have the services of the lawyer during the police interrogation and throughout the court proceedings. The Embassy will ensure that OFW Juangca has legal representation in accordance with UK laws, the Ambassador said.

Before the ship docked at its home port, OFW Juangca had been detained on the ship by the captain under Section 105 of the UK Merchant Shipping Act.  (Please refer to Press Release SFA-AGR-362-06, dated 15 May 2006 for the background information.)

Ambassador Espiritu said that Cunard Line, through its representatives based in Los Angeles, USA, had made arrangements to inform the next-of-kin in the Philippines of the victim OFW Tagaan as well as of the suspect OFW Juangca on the incident.

The Embassy will inform the Department on further developments of the case. END
 
 

/jay