Antipolo Bishop Ruperto Santos called on the Catholic faithful to pray for the safe release of four Filipino seafarers held by Iranian authorities in the Persian Gulf.
“It is sad news. Like their families, we too are worried for their condition. We are so concerned with their safety,” the Catholic bishop said in a statement on April 15.
“We trust our government officials for necessary diplomatic assistance and assurance to exhaust all means to bring them safely home,” he added.
On Saturday, April 13, the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers confirmed that four Filipino seafarers were among the crew of an Israeli-linked, Portuguese-flagged container ship, "MSC Aries," seized by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.
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The agency added it has been in touch with the families of the four sailors and is currently coordinating with the manning agency, ship manager, and operator to ensure their safety and immediate release.
Given the situation, the Antipolo bishop asked the faithful to pray for the seamen.
“In this problematic situation, we turn to God for His mercy to keep our four seafarers safe, stable, and healthy,” he said.