MANILA — The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People (CBCP-ECMI) is praying for the safety of the seven Filipino seafarers who were abducted by pirates in Nigeria over the weekend.
At the same time, Bishop Ruperto Santos, chairman of the CBCP-ECMI, is praying for the captors to release them safely.
“Let us entrust everything to God, that He with our constant prayers and His mercy they will be safe; and God will touch their captors for change of hearts and they would be freed unharmed,” he said in an interview over Church-run Radio Veritas.
The Bataan prelate also appealed overseas chaplains and diocesan migrant ministries to offer holy masses for the safe release of the Filipino seaferers.
On Saturday, pirates attacked a Swiss merchant vessel and took 12 crew members including the Filipino workers off the coast of Nigeria.
Aside from the seven Filipinos, also abducted are one each from Slovenia, Ukraine, Romania, Croatia and Bosnia.
The Philippine Embassy is coordinating with both the Nigerian and Swiss governments to locate the kidnapped crew of MV Glarus. (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
