
KEY POINTS
- Yemen's Houthi rebels hijacked an Israeli-linked cargo ship last month
- Marcos has affirmed the Philippines' support for Israel in its war against Hamas
- The Philippine leader said he will hold a meeting to dispatch a delegation to Iran
Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. announced on Thursday that he will not attend the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), as he has to personally look into "important developments" regarding the 17 Filipino seafarers being held by Yemen's Houthi rebels.