MANILA (UPDATED) -- Nine Filipino crew members of an oil tanker seized by Iran's navy in the Gulf of Oman arrived in the Philippines on Sunday.

Lord Rangasajo, one of the crew members who arrived, said they had positive interactions with the Iranians. 

"Maganda naman po ang pakikiharap ng mga Iranian sa amin. Wala naman po kaming naging problema," he said. 

He also mentioned that they were not harassed. 

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"Mga eight commandos, they boarded us with the heavy guns but okay naman sila," he said. 

The Department of Foreign Affairs revealed that two more are expected to return this week. 

"'Yung dalawang aalis pa, Tuesday or Wednesday aalis sila," DFA Usec. Eduardo de Vega said.

(Two more will depart on Tuesday or Wednesday.) 

The remaining six are awaiting replacements before returning to the Philippines. 

"Hindi naman sila hostage per se, kasi kusang loob silang naiwan doon dahil binigyan ng double salary kaya out of their own free will sila na naiwan doon," he said. 

(They are not hostages per se because they willingly stayed there due to the double salary offered, so they chose to remain voluntarily.) 

In an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon on Monday, De Vega said the crew are healthy and happy to be back in the country.

The nine seafarers were able to return after they were replaced by Russian counterparts. 

“Ang kailangan na lang diyan mapalitan sila ng ibang crew men. Kasi ang sabi ng port authority sa Iran at saka ng manning agency, puwede namang umuwi kahit sino basta palitan sila kasi kailangan nagpapatakbo ng barko. Originally naisip nila Filipino rin ang kukunin eh hindi bakit kukuha eh di pareho din magkakaroon pa ng mga Filipinong ipit doon. Kaya ang sabi namin dapat ibang bansa,” De Vega explained. 

(What is needed is for them to be replaced by other crew men. The port authority in Iran and the manning agency said anyone can come home so long as they are replaced because a ship operator is needed. What they originally thought was to get other Filipinos but that would put them in a pickle as well. That’s why we said it should be another nationality.) 

“‘Yung sahod nila tuloy pa, binabayaran sila ng manning agency pero ang pagbayad dito sa pamilya dito sa Pilipinas. At ang sabi ng Department of Migrant Workers, ang nakikipag-ugnayan sa manning agency, pinaakyat pa nga ang suweldo,” De Vega said. 

(They continued to receive their salary, but this was paid to their family here in the Philippines. The Department of Migrant Workers who is coordinating with the manning agency, said the pay was actually increased.)

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) assured they are ready to provide psychocounseling to arriving seafarers, along with financial assistance accommodation, and air fare if they need to return to their provinces. 

"Kakausapin po muna natin sila kung magdecide sila na magse-settle sila rito sa Pilipinas then we will provide reintegration sa kanila," OWWA Deputy Administrator Atty. Honey Quiño said.

(We will first discuss with them if they decide to settle in the Philippines, and then we will provide reintegration support.) 

The Filipino crew members were under Iran's custody following the Iranian Navy's seizure of the oil tanker St. Nikolas in the Gulf of Oman in January.

Iran's action was a retaliatory response to the confiscation of Iranian crude oil from the same vessel by US forces in 2023. -- With a report from Victoria Tulad, ABS-CBN News.

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