Lawmaker wants seafarers protected vs labor lawyers

A lawmaker has urged government agencies to act on cases of “ambulance-chasing labor lawyers” who file civil suits against maritime manning companies on behalf of seafarer-clients in exchange for a big cut in the monetary reward. House Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Margarita Nograles made the call after the Association of Licensed Manning Agencies Maritime Group raised the issue of some lawyers exploiting the seafarer compensation system. “The Department of Labor and Employment and other pertinent agencies like the Department of Migrant Workers and the Maritime Industry Authority should exercise their authority to stop this practice,” she said. In a statement on Tuesday, Nograles, a lawyer herself, cited Republic Act No. 10706, or the Seafarers Protection Act, which outlaws the practice of “ambulance-chasing.” Violators will be fined from P50,000 to P100,000 and face imprisonment of one to two years.

—Julie M. Aurelio