Help sought for kidnapped Filipino aid worker in Kenya

MANILA – The Philippine government have begun coordinating with appropriate authorities, including its counterpart in Kenya, for the safe release of a Filipino aid worker abducted in a Kenyan refugee camp last Friday.

In a statement, Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said that the government has already made steps to facilitate the safe release of Glenn Costes, who works for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

"The Philippine Embassy in Nairobi has already requested for assistance for the rescue and safety of Mr. Glenn Costes," said Hernandez.

He said the government has also sought for regular updates on the actions being taken by the Kenyan authorities on the case.

The Foreign Affairs official further said that the Philippine government is also in touch with the NRC as well as with concerned embassies, whose nationals were also abducted.

"We are coordinating with them regarding this matter," Hernandez said.

Last Friday, unidentified gunmen abducted Costes along with his three companions after shooting the driver and hurting two others.

Aside from the Filipino NRC shelter project officer, also abducted were a Norwegian, a Canadian, and a Pakistani.

The incident took place during the first day of the group's aid work to the camp after they arrived from Nairobi.

Local reports point suspicion to the al-Shabaab, which is a hardline Islamist group battling for control of Somalia and is linked to the al-Qaeda international terrorist network. (HDT/Sunnex)