MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday assured the public that the 17 Filipino seafarers being held hostage by Houthi rebels in Yemen are safe, despite the US-led military airstrikes last Friday and Saturday.

The US and UK launched multiple retaliatory strikes on Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen for ongoing sea attacks against international vessels.

The said action comes just days after the United Nations Security Council voted to condemn the Houthi sea attacks and demanded the release of car carrier ship Galaxy Leader and its 25-member crew.

Watch more News on iWantTFC

Galaxy Leader was the first of at least a dozen vessels seized by the armed group also known as Ansar Allah since November 19 in response to Israeli operations in Gaza.

According to Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega, the honorary consul representing the Philippines in Yemen was able to get firsthand information from the Houthis and relayed it to the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh.

"This was dated January 14, so kahapon. Seventeen Filipino seafarers are safe and unharmed. Number 2, there are no confirmed reports of any Filipino casualty during the airstrikes in Yemen. Number 3, the Houthis will be responsible for deciding the release conditions of the crew of the Galaxy Leader," de Vega said.

• 17 Filipino seafarers ‘treated well, in good health’ while in captivity in Red Sea: DFA

De Vega explained that, initially, there were impressions that the decision to release captive crew will depend on Hamas officials in Gaza. But this has changed and the DFA is employing diplomacy, as well as the help of friendly nations, to facilitate the release of the 17 Filipino seafarers.

Watch more News on iWantTFC

De Vega said they are aiming for it to happen by the end of the month or at the soonest possible time.

"Sa katapusan mapapauwi na iyan kasi yun nga yung history diyan: Pag may hinuli yung mga rebels diyan, pinapalaya nila. So, ang question only is kailan mangyayari ito? We are in touch with the families to assure them also that we're doing what we can do," de Vega said.

"I will not promise it, but we are working on it."

The seafarers are also able to send pictures to their families in the Philippines to reassure them that they remain in good health. The ship's manning agency also continues to pay their salaries by sending it to the families.

FILIPINO SEAFARERS HELD CAPTIVE BY IRAN

Meanwhile, the DFA is also in close coordination with Iran regarding the 18 Filipino seafarers in its custody after the Iranian Navy seized oil tanker St. Nikolas in the Gulf of Oman last week.

The action by Iran was in retaliation ofr the confiscation of Iranian crude oil from the same vessel by US forces in 2023.

The DFA said the incident is not the first.

"Meron nang 2, I think 2 incidents beforehand and yung mga ships — mga vessels na 'yon — na may mga Filipino seafarers, na-release naman na," said DFA Assistant Secretary Mardomel Celo Melicor.

"Last time was 11 seafarers yata in previous ships at hindi tumagal ng buwan-buwan," de Vega quickly added.

Melicor was also able to speak with Iranian Ambassador Esmaeil Zadeh and received the assurance that the Iranian Embassy in Manila will extend all necessary assistance to address the Philippine government's requests to visit the seafarers physically and to eventually secure their release.

"So, he has assured us that the 18 Filipino seafarers are safe, that they are safe and sound, and that everything is being done sa Iranian Foreign Ministry to facilitate the visit of our Embassy officials dun sa kinaroonan, hindi ho sinabi kung saan," Melicor said as he detailed his conversation with the Iranian Ambassador.

• Philippines eyes expanding risk areas in Red Sea

The DFA also clarified that it does not consider the 18 Filipino seafarers hostages.

"The ship has been taken and the crew men are under the custody of the Iranian government but not that they are hostages… Etong nangyari sa US is purely — for the Iranians — a matter of justice and right. Because that's their ship na kinonfiscate ng US. So the court order is for Iranian authorities to get it back," he said.

He said the department does not see any need to repatriate Filipinos in Iran but "will be ready just in case."

• DFA urges Iran to ensure safety of Filipinos in seized oil tanker

According to the DFA, there are currently 1,180 Filipinos in Iran, with a majority of them residents married to Iranians.

The DFA also assured healthy and cordial relations between Iran and the Philippines, with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri visiting the Philippines and meeting with DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo last November.