Villar offers legal help to 24 seamen repatriated from Nigeria

Nacionalista Party President Sen. Manny Villar today offered legal assistance to 24 seafarers who suffered unfair labor practices while working aboard M/T Black Pearl stationed in Nigeria .

"I have directed our lawyers to help the 24 seamen file complaints with the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency and the National Labor Relations Commission so they can immediately claim what is due them after suffering months of unfair treatment aboard M/T Black Pearl," Villar said.

Villar said the group can sue the recruitment agency and the employer for non-payment of salaries and breach of contract.

The 24 seamen started working on the Greek vessel in October last year. They resigned from posts last February after their employer failed to pay their salaries for five months.

In a text message, Joseph Junels Santillan told the staff of Villar that their situation inside the ship was like living in Alcatraz , where they have restricted movement and where water and food are rationed.

"We are also forced to work in the dark. The ship doesn't have enough crude to supply electric power to the ship. We only have light for about one hour a day," Santillan said.

Santillan said their employer also hired armed goons to threaten them when they declared a strike to protest the unfair treatment.

The former Senate president said like the rest of Filipinos working overseas, Filipino seafarers take a lot of risks when they work abroad. They could be taken hostage by rebels in the oil-producing part of Nigeria or by Somalian pirates in the Gulf of Aden who demand huge ransom from ship owners.

"In this case, we see that seamen also suffer from bad working conditions and violations of their terms of contract by employers," Villar said.

"This highlights the need for the Philippine government to protect their rights and welfare at all times. We should be doing everything to help our seafarers since they help the economy keep its head above water through remittances to their families back home," he added.

Villar also thanked the Philippine Embassy in Abuja for their assistance in the repatriation of the 24 seamen, including the coordination with the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure the seamen's secure repatriation.