13 Filipinos in Nigeria oil theft freed

By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 17:19:00 02/26/2009

MANILA, Philippines — Less than a week after they were convicted of stealing 12,500 tons of crude oil from the Niger Delta, 13 Filipino seafarers were released Thursday afternoon, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

Citing a report from the Office of the Vice President, DFA acting spokesman Ed Malay said the 13 were released after the owner of the M/T Akuada, Corinthian City, paid the fine of $6,800 for each seaman.

Last Friday, February 20, a Nigerian court sentenced the Filipinos to five years imprisonment or the fine after they were caught on November 13, 2008 stealing or illegally transporting oil, commonly known as oil bunkering.

Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest oil producers, exporting some two million barrels of oil per day, loses an estimated 100,000 barrels of liters of crude or refined petroleum products every day to organized gangs that tap pipelines and siphon off tons of oil.

Citing various kidnapping incidents, the Philippine government has a standing work ban in Nigeria.

We’ll pay fine for OFWs in Nigeria theft

SAY SHIP OWNER, CREWING FIRM
We’ll pay fine for OFWs in Nigeria theft

By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:50:00 02/25/2009

Filed Under: Overseas Employment, Crime and Law and Justice

MANILA, Philippines—The ship owner and the crewing firm of the 13
Filipino seamen sentenced in Nigeria to five years in prison or a fine
of $84,500 promised to pay the penalty so they could be freed and
repatriated back to the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs
said Wednesday.

On February 20, a Nigerian court found the 13 Filipino seamen of M/T
Akuada guilty of stealing 12,500 tons of crude oil from the Niger
Delta. The convicted Filipinos, who were arrested with nine other
Filipino seamen on November 14, 2008, entered a guilty plea.

“The DFA received an assurance from the shipping principal, Corinthina
Maritime SA Greece and its sister coman Kathrina Greece Crewing based
in Athens, that they would pay the fine,” said acting DFA spokesman Ed
Malaya.

Asked about the time frame, he said the ship owner and the crewing
company did not specify when the fine would be paid.

At the same time, the two companies also promised that they would
honor the seamen’s contract and their other obligations to the
Filipino seamen, Malaya said.

The DFA official also said the two companies would pay for the
seamen’s air fare back to the country.

Malaya, a lawyer, noted that the seamen may have pleaded guilty to
expedite the case and their eventual return to the Philippines.

Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest oil producers, exporting some two
million barrels of oil per day, loses an estimated 100,000 barrels of
liters of crude or refined petroleum products every day to organized
gangs that tap pipelines and siphon off tons of oil.

Citing various kidnapping incidents, the Philippine government has a
standing work ban in Nigeria.

Manning agency told to hasten payment of fine for 13 jailed OFWs in Nigeria

KIMBERLY JANE T. TAN, GMANews.TV
02/25/2009 | 04:19 PM

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Noli de Castro on Tuesday said that he has told a local manning agency to hasten payment of the fine imposed on 13 jailed Filipino seamen in Nigeria so that they can finally be released.

De Castro said he has ordered Sea Gem Maritime International Inc. to cooperate with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) regarding the immediate payment of the fine by the Corinthian City, their foreign principal, and the eventual repatriation of the jailed seafarers.

Reports from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that the Nigerian court is asking for a fine of $6,500 or more than P310,000 for each of the imprisoned OFWs — a total of $84,500 or more than P4 million — for the entire group who were charged for allegedly stealing oil.

Stealing oil tapped illegally from well heads or pipelines is said to be a lucrative practice in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest petroleum producer.

The DFA said that the seafarers are going to languish in jail for five years unless the fines set by the Nigerian court are paid.

In a statement on Tuesday, De Castro expressed disappointment over the recruitment firm because the conviction of the 13 Filipino seamen in Nigeria is already the second incident that involved the agency.

Earlier, nine Filipino seamen contracted by Sea Gem were stranded in Nigeria after they escaped from armed pirates. Six of them were immediately repatriated, while the other three are expected to return to the Philippines soon.

“[Sea Gem] is presently facing several complaints and it must cooperate with the investigation of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). And if found liable, proper sanctions should be imposed,” said De Castro, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s adviser for OFW affairs.
GMANews.TV tried contacting Sea Gem Maritime International Inc. but it was not available for comment.

Records from the POEA showed that the agency is currently on preventive suspension. – GMANews.TV