The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), is currently assessing the legal options available to three Filipino seafarers who remain detained in Algeria, including the implications of a possible plea on their ongoing appeal.
In a Facebook post, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the agency is working closely with the DFA to evaluate the merits of any plea being considered by the seafarers and how it may affect their drug case, before making any recommendation to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“We are working closely with the DFA to assess the merits of their plea and its potential impact on the appeal. Based on this, we will make the appropriate recommendation to the President,” Cacdac said.
The three seafarers were among eight Filipino crew members arrested on July 28, 2023, after Algerian authorities discovered approximately 35.8 kilograms of cocaine aboard the commercial vessel CV Harris while it was docked at the port of Algiers.
Five of the eight have since been released, while the remaining three continue to be held in detention.
In February 2026, an Algerian court sentenced the Filipino seafarers to 10 years in prison, a reduction from an earlier 15-year sentence.
The DMW said that the agency and DFA through the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli, has conducted jail visits to monitor the condition of the detained seafarers and ensure their welfare.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to providing full support to the three Filipinos as their case progresses. Cacdac said the government remains in close communication with their families and continues to extend assistance.
“We remain in touch with the families and have been supporting them throughout the past three years as the case continues,” he added.
Authorities said efforts are ongoing to strengthen the seafarers’ legal defense while safeguarding their rights under Algerian law.
Earlier this week, the families of three seafarers made have appealed to Marcos Jr. to intervene diplomatically and ensure a fair trial following a court ruling in Algeria.
