The Philippine Embassy in Havana, Cuba identified the two seamen as Alexander Callado and Rodelio Espino, both crewmembers of the cargo vessel MV Winterstar.
In its report to the DFA, the Embassy said police investigation showed that Callado, with the help of Espino, hit the unidentified stowaway on the head with a metal pipe and threw his body into the sea after the victim threatened to tell the captain that he was on board.
The report said Callado, for a fee, brought the victim, who was a citizen of the Dominican Republic, aboard the MV Winterstar last Dec. 12, on the understanding that the ship was headed for the United States, where the victim had expected to jump ship.
When the ship was already at sea, the stowaway found out that the ship was not bound for the US and that it would be docking in Jamaica.
On learning that Callado had tricked him, the victim became hysterical and confronted Callado, threatening to expose their "agreement" to the ship captain. That was when Callado and Espino plotted the killing of the victim.
Upon reaching Jamaica, the captain reported the murder to the Jamaican police, and Callado and Espino were placed under arrest and brought ashore to be jailed. Under international laws, crimes committed in the high seas are investigated by authorities of the vessel’s next port of call.
Espino was said to have informed the captain about the crime because his conscience had been bothering him since the day the victim was killed.
The Embassy report did not say whether the victim came aboard the ship in the Dominican Republic or some other country in the Caribbean.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Benjamin Domingo told reporters yesterday the government will work for the release of Espino since he appeared to be innocent.
Espino could have just witnessed the crime and informed the ship captain about it, he added.