CCTV in all ships urged amid missing Filipino seafarers

CCTV in all ships urged amid missing Filipino seafarers
HANA BORDEY, March 6, 2025 https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/pinoyabroad/dispatch/938430/cctv-in-all-...

The government on Thursday was urged to pursue a new policy that will compel all foreign and local ships to install closed circuit television (CCTV), especially in areas where there are risks of falling.
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Senator Raffy Tulfo made the call as he inquired about the cases of five missing Filipino seafarers during the continuation of the Senate committee on migrant workers’ oversight hearing on the situation of Filipino workers abroad.

“Bakit natin hindi i-request na dapat yung mga barko ay ma-require na magkaroon ng CCTV? Ang gusto ko through the SOLAS Convention, i-require lahat ng barko sa buong mundo na merong mga seafarers,” Tulfo said.

(Why don't we request that ships be required to install CCTV? Preferably through the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), to requires it of whips worldwide that have seafarers.)

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac, who provided updates on the missing Filipino seafarers, said they are supportive of Tulfo’s suggestion but noted that it is a different government agency who should raise this before SOLAS to compel foreign-owned ships.

“Sa DMW, ang amin, together with the DOLE and the DFA is the Maritime Labor Convention at nandun din po ‘yung susog patungkol sa abandonment of seafarers na nasa Magna Carta [for Seafarers] din. So we could gladly provide information as to the next meeting of the Maritime Labor Convention Special Tripartite Committee in Geneva,” Cacdac said.

The DMW chief said that they have “long advocated” for the installation of CCTVs in ships and they will pursue amendments to the implementing rules of regulations of the Magna Carta for Seafarers.
Tulfo said he will join the next SOLAS Convention amid these unresolved cases to advocate for his suggestion.

In the same hearing, the lawmaker urged Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to compel local ships to install CCTVs, to which the government agency committed to look into.

Among the cases that were tackled during the hearing was that of Ralph Anthony Bobiles, who was reported missing on December 5,2024.

According to the DMW, Bobiles was ashore with his crewmate a day before his disappearance.

Cacdac said they are still waiting for the report of maritime authorities in Panama as they are not satisfied with the captain’s report that he just suddenly disappeared.

“Hindi pa rin tayo kuntento sa mga sagot na katulad ng siya ay nawala na lamang at wala nang iba pang kwento basta’t nawala na lamang siya. We don’t accept that of course,” Cacdac said.

(We are still not satisfied with their statements, such as that he just disappeared and no other information besides that.)

“No indication of foul play with no adequate explanation kung anong nangyari [as to what happened]. Basta’t nawala na lang siya [Just that he disappeared] with the suggestion na it is upon his own doing ‘yung kanyang pagkawala but we are not accepting this at this stage,” he added.

Cacdac said they doubt the reports that Bobiles went out of his room because his crewmates “needed to tear down the door” while searching him.

Ely Bobiles, father of the missing Filipino seafarer, sought the following in his manifestation during the hearing:

a copy of the CCTV footage
audio data recording of the ship
the captain’s report on the incident
a copy of the supposed 72-hour search and rescue
a copy of the investigation reports of the relevant ports
a copy of the port agent’s report
a copy of the US Customs and Border Protection report

The other cases that were discussed are the disappearances of Jimbo Cadungog, Vincent San Diego, and Jeric Bueno.

Of the four missing seafarers, Cacdac said only Bueno’s body was retrieved.

Bueno’s body is currently undergoing autopsy, the DMW said.

Like in the case of Bobiles, Cacdac said they are awaiting official investigation reports and “adequate” answers from the flag states of the three Filipino seafarers who were reported missing. — BM, GMA Integrated News