Malaysia releases detained Filipino seafarers

MALAYSIAN authorities have released the eight Filipino crew of MT Krishna 1 who were detained due to alleged violations of local immigration laws and regulations.

The seafarers were released last Saturday, April 19, following the visit of Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) representatives.

In a statement, DMW said it is now preparing for the immediate repatriation of the eight Filipinos back to the Philippines.

The jailed seafarers, along with 12 Indian crew members of MT Krishna 1, were arrested on April 11 due to alleged immigration offenses for entering Malaysia without passports and valid documents.

The DMW's Migrant Workers' Office in Malaysia conducted a welfare visit to the eight Filipinos, who were detained in a police station in Kota Tinggi town.

"Our Labor Attachè Jocelyn Ortega and DMW-MWO lawyer in Malaysia visited the 8 jailed seafarers and raised the defense of good faith defense before the investigating officer. We have been informed that the results of the investigation will be out soon," DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a previous statement.

The department said the licensed manning agency (LMA) of the seafarers has assured the continued payment of salaries and benefits to them.

"The DMW is set to conduct its own investigation of the LMA and the shipowner, in terms of finding out the circumstances that led to the 8 Filseafarers' detention, and whether adequate protective measures were undertaken," it previously said.