Govt blames recruiters for rise in RP seamen abduction in Somalia

Malacañang blamed unscrupulous recruiters for the government's inability to stop seafarers from defying a deployment ban to pirate-infested Somalia. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita made the admission after Somali pirates seized several vessels with Filipino seafarers on board in just under two weeks. A total of 57 Filipino seafarers are now in the hands of pirates after a Greek cargo ship, this time with 19 seamen from the Philippines, was hijacked in the Indian Ocean on Thursday morning (Manila time). “Ang nangyayari ang ginagawa ng recruiter di natin alam paano nila na-recruit ang Pinoy na pumupunta doon, di alam ng gobyerno Somalia pupuntahan. Minsan sasabihin punta isang bansa malapit doon tapos slip out at punta Somalia (We don’t know how they did it, but the recruiters got past us and allowed Filipino seamen to get to Somalia. Sometimes they would say they are going to other countries near Somalia, but would have the seamen sneak there)," Ermita said in an interview on dzXL radio. Otherwise, he said President Arroyo already ordered a deployment ban to Somalia due to the dangers of piracy there. The government maintains a no-ransom policy with kidnappers. “Pinapalaya din naman at nagbabayad lang ng usapan ang nagre-recruit na kumpanya (The seamen are eventually released after payment of ransom)," he said. Pirates have increased their attacks since the end of the monsoon season last month. They are now holding at least 12 ships and more than 200 hostages. Pirates can often command multimillion-dollar ransoms for the release of the vessels they capture, a fortune in impoverished Somalia. The failed state has not had a functioning government for a generation and its lawless coastline provides a perfect pirate haven. - GMANews.TV with an AP report