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Friday, February 10, 2006
Misamis Oriental captives to arrive in Malaysia
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
TAIWANESE owners of the foreign vessels admitted they paid US$340,000 as ransom for the release of their fishing vessels and the 47 hostages from rebels in Somalia, Africa, authorities reported.
The hostages include Agustin Ybanez, Jamito Ranido and Andy Amado Espina who are all residents from Barangay Mambaya-an, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental.
The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco) said they received reports that the 12 Filipinos including the three natives from Balingasag will arrive in Penang, Malaysia within 20 days from Jan. 29 or this Feb. 19.
Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno is calling on the public to continue on praying for the fast and safe return of the former hostages.
In a letter furnished to Moreno, Meco labor representative in Kaohshiung Elizabeth Recio said they have been in contact with Philippine officials who talked with Ni Hui-ling, co-owner of the foreign vessels that were taken by the Somali rebels.
"She (Hui-ling) confirmed that payment of ransom of some US 340,000 for the two vessels -- Cheng Ching Feng and Hsin Lin Fa 36 -- was paid to the rebels through some agents," her letter reads.
Last August 16, some 47 crewmembers aboard three Taiwanese fishing vessels -- Hsin Lien Fa No. 36, Chieng Qing Feng, and Chung Yi No. 218 -- were seized by Marehan soldiers at Kismayu Harbor in Somalia, Africa and taken as hostages.
On August 24, vessel owners and family members of the crew sought the assistance of the Taiwanese authorities in securing their release from the Somalian rebel army.
The hostages include some coming from the countries of Vietnam, China, Indonesia and Taiwan. 12 of the hostages were Filipinos.
In a press conference, Moreno said it could not as yet be determined whether the governments of any of the nationals taken as hostages, including that of the Philippine Government, contributed to the payment of ransom.
He said this as it is the policy of every government not to negotiate and pay ransom for its nationals.
"No country would admit that," he said.
Meanwhile, Recio said the Taiwanese owners deliberately gave different figures as to the amount they paid for the release of the vessels and their crew.
She cited newspaper reports indicating only US $10,000. There were also reports that the ransom went as high as US $500,000 for each vessel.
"They (Taiwanese vessel owners) deliberately gave different figures because they got inflated with the agents of the other vessels earlier released (Chung Yi 218) who tried to meddle in the negotiation for the release of the other two vessels," the letter to Moreno reads.
It added that that the release was made with the help of the Singaporean merchant and British Citizen in Somali.
Recio said Hui-ling has reiterated that the two foreign vessels are now on their way to Penang for supplies, repair and possibly fishing.
She said the vessels may take some 20 days to reach Penang, Malaysia counting from January 29, 2006. The crew will contact their families once they reach Malaysia.
The letter also contained how Hui-ling said, "The crew is safe, except that they may have experienced trauma, fear with the incident."
Also, that the crew have no other clothes, except what they have had been wearing before as the rebels took everything useful.
Because of this, Hui-lingsent some clothes, foods radio-telephone to the vessels immediately through some other foreign vessels nearby owned by some friends.
"But, one of the radios/telephones is not compatible with the boat's system, hence, the two foreign vessels share only one radio-telephone," the letter reads.
Recio said the Taiwanese owners are willing to re-hire the crewmembers whose contracts are soon to expire.
"As the crew's contracts would soon expire, the crew may decide to go home first. They are welcome to come back to work with the vessels," the letter reads.
(February 10, 2006 issue)
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