04/05/2026
‘I’M DONE BEING SILENT’ – FAMILY ALLEGES NEGLECT, DELAY IN SEAMAN’S BRAIN BLEED CASE
MANILA, Philippines – Nearly one year after a Filipino seaman suffered a traumatic brain injury aboard a tanker, his family says a web of alleged neglect, delayed rescue, and pressure to stay silent has turned their fight for justice into a grueling test of survival.
The seaman, whose identity is being withheld by the family, endured 11 days of intracranial bleeding while still on the vessel, according to a statement shared by his sibling. In the first 48 hours after the injury, the crew noted clear signs of traumatic brain injury, the family said. But no helicopter rescue arrived, even though the ship was within rescue range.
“Misteryosong nawala ang kanyang internet connection kaya hindi makahingi ng tulong,” the sibling recounted, saying the seaman was effectively cut off from contacting relatives.
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The family only learned of the severity after the sibling reported the situation to the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) office in Los Angeles and the U.S. Coast Guard, both of which responded quickly. “Salamat sa kanilang tulong nailigtas ang buhay ng aming kamag-anak,” the sibling said.
But survival, the family says, was just the beginning.
The seaman now lives with:
· Traumatic brain injury
· Permanent neurological disorder
· A requirement for anti-seizure medication
On the 110th day after the injury, the family said a medical grading was issued that they consider “mababa at premature.” The company reportedly offered compensation based only on the POEA contract, using what the family calls an incomplete medical assessment.
“Paano naman ang kanilang neglect at moral damages at acting in bad faith?” the sibling asked.
A preliminary report blamed the seaman for his own injury. The family also alleges the ship was deliberately slowed down, further delaying access to urgent care.
Compounding the pain, the sibling said some professionals hired to help — including doctors and lawyers — failed them. “Ang seaman na may babayarin, may pamilya, napipilitang mag settle due to financial pressures, but we are here to fight for this.”
At a hospital in Makati, the family claims a doctor advised them not to declare the full extent of the patient’s symptoms. “Huwag ideclare ang mga nararamdaman niya,” the sibling quoted the physician as saying. “Bakit kaya pinapaniwala kami na walang problema at kusang gagaling nalang ang taong binuksan ang utak through emergent consent?”
The family is now calling for reform of the DMW’s accredited pool of doctors, saying impartial medical assessments are critical in maritime injury cases.
“This might be the biggest neglect case,” the sibling said. “I’m done being silent.”
The DMW and the Philippine Coast Guard have not yet issued a statement on the allegations. Efforts to reach the shipping company named in the complaint were unsuccessful as of press time.
The family continues to seek full accountability and just compensation, hoping their case will spare other seafarers from a similar fate.
