Family told DNA results didn’t match seaman

The family of Cebuano seaman Jerome Dinoy remains hopeful that he is still alive after the manning agency told  them that the results of the forensic tests done on one of two recovered remains didn’t match his samples.

Yogie, Jerome’s mother told Cebu Daily News that the Magsaysay Maritime Corp. told them at noon yesterday that the dental and fingerprint records didn’t match her son.

She said they are confused since the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) identified Jerome Dinoy as one of the two persons whose remains were recovered near the area where the Norwegian vessel Bulk Jupiter sank off the South Vietnam coast last week.

“I am really disappointed on what happened. When I learned last Monday that my son was found what I wanted to happen is for him to get back here as soon as possible,” the mother said.

She said she’s appealing to the national government to help them verify if the remains were Jerome’s or not.  The remains are still in Vietnam.

 

Not easy

April Tura, a friend of Jerome, said they are now confused about the news.

“It gives us (unrealistic) hope. We really don’t know,” Tura said.

Regional DFA director Anika Fernandez said they still have no instructions from their central office.

“We understand what the family feels right now. It’s not easy what they have been through,” she said.

In a text message to Cebu Daily News, DFA Asst. Secretary Charles Jose said their identification of Dinoy was “based on the report” they received from the embassy in Hanoi.

“We have not received any report on what (the company is) saying,” Jose said. The eldest of five siblings, Dinoy is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue (UCLM) in 2011.

He was the 3rd-officer in charge at the Bulk Jupiter.  Jerome was scheduled to go home to Day-as, Cordova town this month.

 

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