Yemen Monitor/Aden/Exclusive:
The Philippine presidency has stated that its sailors aboard the “Galaxy Leader,” who are being held captive by the Houthis in Yemen, are exhibiting symptoms of malaria.
The 17 Filipino sailors were part of the 25-member crew of the Galaxy Leader, which was captured by the Houthis in November of last year as the group began attacks on ships linked to Israel, the US, and Britain in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
In a memorandum addressed to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 30, the honorary consul in Yemen, Mohamed Saleh Al-Jamal, confirmed that many of the Filipino crew members were showing symptoms of malaria.
Philippine Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said that the Houthis had rejected requests from Al-Jamal to release the Filipino sailors on humanitarian grounds, and instead, the Houthis said they were taking care of them and had sent doctors to them.
The Houthis responded by saying that regarding the release of the Filipino crew members, the matter depends on external decisions. Therefore, negotiations and discussions are reasonable regarding their fate and the possibility of their release.
It remains unknown what the external decision is. The Houthis are accused of being proxies for Iran and of carrying out their orders.
