MANILA, Jan 30 (Reuters) - The Philippine government said on Tuesday it was concerned about the health of Filipino sailors kidnapped by militants in Nigeria following reports seven of the seafarers were critically ill. On Jan. 17, armed men seized the 24 workers from a German-operated cargo ship in the southern oil producing delta, taking 17 ashore to a village and demanding the Nigerian government free two separatist leaders from prison. "The deteriorating health condition of the seven seafarers provides all the more reason why they have to be set free now rather than later," said Eduardo Malaya, spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Malaya said the DFA had instructed its ambassador to check on the condition of the captives after Nigerian newspapers reported seven were critically ill. Local media had also reported that the armed group holding the sailors had sent distress calls to the captives' employer to send medicines. Some of the sailors were reportedly suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes. Thousands of foreign oil workers have left the delta in the past year as attacks and kidnappings have multiplied and some industry executives see the situation descending into anarchy as landmark Nigerian elections approach in April. Nigeria is the world's eighth-largest oil exporter but militant raids last year have cut oil exports by a fifth. "Political causes are best advanced by political means," Malaya told reporters. "Abducting people will only distract them from achieving their goals."
