4 na Pinoy, kabilang sa mga tauhan ng MSC Aries na kinubkob ng Iran sa Strait of Hormuz | UB
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Meanwhile, Kapuso, let's talk about the location of four Filipinos in the crew of the MSC Aris container ship that was hijacked by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.
00:11 Our guest today is the Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega. Good morning, Undersecretary. This is Maris. Let's go live to the first news.
00:19 Good morning, Maris.
00:22 First of all, Usec, do you have an update on our four countrymen who are on the ship? Have you talked to them?
00:29 Yes. I have an update. It's a good update. I haven't talked to them.
00:34 I am contacting the money agency to check on their situation. The new department, American Workers, and we at the DFA are talking to the government as a country-to-country foreign relations approach.
00:52 The good news is that they are doing well. They are being fed and healthy. And the bad news is that they have talked to their families.
01:04 Each of the four was given a chance to contact their families. They have been talking to their families for an hour. So that means they are not being treated like prisoners or hostages. So that's the good news.
01:28 Usec, did they announce that they want to go home to the Philippines? Will they be allowed to go home? What is the HACBANG doing to help them and allow them to go home if they want to?
01:40 Yes. Number one, they want to go home. No one wants to be in this situation. Second, what are we doing? We are talking to our embassy there. Today, we are talking to Iranian ambassador, the foreign secretary.
01:59 Secretary Manalo will be back. But what our embassy told us so far, even to them, I will quote, "They will be released very soon."
02:15 All of them, not just the four Filipinos. But let's see if it's true and we will force them because they said they will be released soon.
02:26 They are not being held as political hostage or something. So that's what we will check.
02:40 Did you talk to their relatives? How are they? Do they have any additional requests from you Usec?
02:47 Yes. We talked to the government. Of course, their request is that they will be able to go home safely.
02:55 But they are thankful that they know that the government is doing everything it can because the government explained that this is not the same situation. You know there's a hostage crisis in Yemen.
03:10 This is not the same situation because there's no indication when they will be released. The war in Israel should end.
03:18 Here in Iran, the situation is different. They want to give a message to Iran because they have a replacement in Israel.
03:28 So there's a high possibility that they will be released, especially in the near future.
03:34 How are the Filipinos in Israel and Iran in the middle of the war?
03:40 Yes. The Filipinos in Israel and Iran and the whole Middle East, they know that the situation in the Middle East is volatile. They should be prepared.
03:51 There are 30,000 Filipinos in Israel. No one has been heard. According to Ambassador Jim Lilo, our ambassador in Tel Aviv,
04:02 he said that no one is saying that they want to go home because the war is near. No.
04:07 They are trusting the Israeli defense, what they call the iron dome.
04:12 Because 300 Filipinos were released from Iran. Not only Iran, there are also coordinated. There are weapons from Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, all at once.
04:32 But Israel is ready. Now, Iran said, according to their general, we have already responded to Israel and we don't intend to continue.
04:44 In simple words, we are fair. You attack us, we attack you. That's enough.
04:51 Israel is already doing that. We are joining the Philippine government. We, the world community, are calling on Israel not to respond because it's fair.
05:08 There is no terrorism. Now in Iran, there are 2,000 Filipinos who are married to Iranians, professionals, simple professionals.
05:19 The government is ready to send them home if they want to. But most of them are Iranian citizens.
05:26 If you marry an Iranian, you automatically become an Iranian citizen. So, the government is ready.
05:37 But let's see what Israel will do. Let's pray that it won't escalate.
05:45 Even if the foreign secretary Kapo now released a statement, we will join in the call that there will be no escalation and follow international law.
05:56 Because all of our friends, there are only a few countries in Southeast Asia that have diplomatic relations.
06:06 We have a diplomatic relationship with Israel, with the Arabs, with Iranians. We have ambassadors there.
06:15 We have a lot of Filipinos there. We have a good relationship with them.
06:22 I think our fellow countrymen will not be hurt because of Iran.
06:27 Even our fellow countrymen will give safety like the local citizens.
06:33 Alright, we're hoping for the best and we are one with you in prayer.
06:36 Thank you very much BFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega for your time.
06:40 Good morning. Thank you. Goodbye.
06:43 [News broadcast]
06:56 [Music]