Senator Erwin Tulfo expressed concern Sunday over the reported drone attack on a container vessel carrying Filipino seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran’s earlier assurance of safe passage for Filipinos traversing the strategic waterway.
Tulfo, who chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said he plans to ask the Department of Foreign Affairs to seek clarification from the Iranian government regarding the status of the agreement.
“We want to understand why Iran attacked this vessel, considering we reached an understanding with them last month, allowing safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” Tulfo said in a radio interview.
“I will ask DFA Secretary Tess Lazaro to ask the Iranian Embassy if the promise of safe passage for Filipinos in the Strait of Hormuz is still valid,” he added.
The Department of Migrant Workers earlier confirmed that seven Filipino crew members aboard the container ship CMA CGM San Antonio were injured after the vessel was allegedly struck by an Iranian drone on May 5.
According to DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, three of the injured Filipino seafarers remain confined in the intensive care unit of an undisclosed hospital in a country near the Strait of Hormuz.
Last month, Iran assured the Philippine government that Philippine-flagged vessels, energy shipments, and Filipino seafarers would be granted safe passage amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Tulfo noted that several Filipino seafarers remain stranded in the region following the attack.
“We need a clear answer from the Iranian government on whether it is still safe for Filipino seamen to navigate the Strait of Hormuz. This is vital so we can properly advise our maritime workers,” he said.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes for oil and commercial cargo, with ongoing regional tensions continuing to raise security concerns for international vessels and maritime workers.
As of posting time, the DFA has yet to issue an official response regarding Tulfo’s request for clarification from Iran.
