SEAFARER MISSING FOR NEARLY A MONTH: Dad begs BBM to find son

By Rhaydz B. Barcia

LEGAZPI CITY --- A grieving father, Elias B. Bobiles Jr., is pleading with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and government agencies to help locate his missing son, Ralph Anthony Bobiles, 28, a deck officer aboard the Panama-flagged vessel Prestige Ace. The ship, which was transporting high-end cars from Vera Cruz, Mexico, to Baltimore, USA, reported Ralph missing on December 5, 2024.

Bobiles, 62, the Barangay Captain of San Roque, Tabaco City, initially made his appeal through social media, asking for assistance from fellow Filipino seafarers and the public to provide information that could help reunite his family with Ralph.

“My son has been missing for nearly a month. Each day without news about him feels like an eternity. My heart is shattered into a million pieces as I think about what could have happened to him,” Elias said.

In his Facebook post, he also appealed to Ralph’s fellow Filipino seafarers on-board the Prestige Ace to share any information that could help find his son.

“I know from the bottom of my heart that Ralph was a good friend to all of you. Please help us uncover the truth about his disappearance,” he added.

The grieving father highlighted the emotional toll on their family, emphasizing that Ralph was more than a seafarer — he was a devoted son, brother, husband, and father to three children, who were eagerly waiting for him to come home with Christmas presents.

Elias also expressed concerns over the delay in reporting his son’s absence. He said the ship’s officers failed to report Ralph missing until 5:00 p.m., nearly seven hours after he was last seen.

Based on a statement from Mexican authorities, Ralph participated in a toolbox meeting at 6:45 a.m. on December 5, before starting his duties alongside an ordinary seaman. Around 10:00 a.m., Ralph took a snack break and was seen heading toward his cabin, but he did not return to his assigned task.

Despite his absence at lunch and during work in the afternoon, no one looked for him until 5:05 p.m., when his disappearance was officially reported. By then, the ship had already travelled far, and the surroundings were dark.

“It was a nightmare for us without any concrete information. The lapses of the ship’s officials are glaring,” Elias said.

He is urging the national government to fast-track the investigation into his son’s disappearance.

“We are appealing to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and concerned government agencies to help locate my son. Any information, no matter how small, can help us bring Ralph home,” Elias said during a radio interview on DZGB in Albay.

Photos of missing Filipino seafarer Ralph Anthony Bobiles, 28, aboard the Panama-flagged cargo ship Prestige Ace, which was transporting high-end vehicles from Vera Cruz, Mexico, to Baltimore, USA. Ralph was reported missing on December 5, 2024. The photo was shared by his father, Barangay Captain Elias B. Bobiles Jr., of San Roque, Tabaco City, as part of his appeal to the public and government for assistance in finding his son.