Pirates freed 23 Filipino seafarers on Tuesday ending their five-month ordeal in Somalia. Their ship, M/V Stolt Strength, was also released, said Capt. Dexter Custodio, spokesman for Sagana Shipping Inc. in Manila. Custodio said the newly freed Filipinos were on their way to the Philippines on Tuesday but refused to confirm or deny that a $2 million ransom was paid to pirates for the seafarers' freedom. The 23 seamen were seized by Somali pirates on Nov. 10, 2008 in the Indian Ocean where many piracy took place, aside from the Gulf of Aden. Custodio said the freed seamen were “starved” and harmed by pirates. At least one of the seamen was shot in the leg. After the release of the 23 seamen, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila said 31 Filipinos are still in the hands of the pirates. The pirates earlier freed 19 Filipino crew of the M/V Saldahha and 12 on board M/T Long Champ. Despite criticism on the government's ban on manning agencies from sending Pinoy seamen to work on vessels that pass by the waters of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Cornejo Jr. said the ban would stay. Vice President Noli De Castro has recommended to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to cancel or suspend the of Sea Cap Shipping Inc. which recruited the 23 seamen. Foreign Affairs department spokesman Ed Malaya said some “parties helped facilitate the release of the vessel and the regaining of freedom for its long-suffering crew and their families,” but gave no specifics. In Nairobi, Andrew Mwangura, head if the East African Seafarers Assistance Program maritime watchdog, said all crew members were safe, adding that the ship was headed to the Indian port of Kandla but may call at an African port on the way. “We don't have all the details but (the tanker) was released early this morning,” he said. “We think that something was paid but we don't know what the amount ... was.” __
