After more than a year in captivity, 17 Filipino sailors on board the M/V Galaxy Leader, hijacked by Houthis in Yemen, will soon reunite with their loved ones, President Bongbong Marcos announced on Thursday, January 23. "Our Filipino sailors are under the protection of our embassy in Muscat, Oman, and will soon reunite with their families in the Philippines," Marcos said.
The president expressed gratitude to the government of Oman for their involvement in the release of the hostages. "Let me express my gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman and his government for the successful facilitation that led to the eventual release and safe return of our compatriots," Marcos noted.
Marcos emphasized the importance of the recently signed Magna Carta for Filipino sailors for the protection of their collective welfare. In a separate statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs stated that they are working on their immediate repatriation to Manila so they may reunite as soon as possible with their long-suffering families.
"Our successful efforts, despite all the challenges, demonstrate that such diplomacy works," the ministry added. In a statement, published by the Yemeni information agency, the rebels stated that the release supports the agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Gaza.
