MANILA, Philippines – Libya acquitted 7 Filipino seafarers earlier sentenced to 4 years in prison for an alleged attempt to smuggle fuel, said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday, March 4.

In a statement shortly before 8 pm on Monday, the DFA said the Libyan High Court “has ordered the release of the 7 crew members of the M/T Levante who were earlier sentenced by a lower court to 4 years in prison for allegedly attempting to smuggle fuel.”

The Philippine embassy in Tripoli said it received a copy of the Libyan High Court’s order on Sunday, March 3.

“The embassy is now coordinating the repatriation of the 7 seafarers with Libyan authorities,” the DFA said.

Mardomel Celo Melicor, chargé d’affaires of the Philippine embassy, said the 7 “were among 20 Filipinos who were taken into custody after the Libyan Coast Guard boarded and seized the Liberian-flagged tanker while it was anchored in international waters.”

The DFA said the Filipinos “were investigated and detained for alleged economic sabotage because they supposedly attempted to smuggle 6 million liters of fuel.”

The DFA said authorities released 13 of the 20 Filipino crew members in February 2018, “but charged the remaining 7, who are all officers, and sentenced them to 4-year prison terms in November.”  

The Philippines had worked for the release of the 7 Filipinos “who have consistently denied the charges.” – Rappler.com