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Friday, June 09, 2006
Oro resident among 20 Somali captives?
By Stephen Capillas
A RESIDENT of Cagayan de Oro is reportedly among the 20 Filipinos being held captive by an armed group aboard a Dubai-registered oil tanker off the coast of Somalia.
Mayor Vicente Emano reported this during his radio program over dxIF Bombo Radyo Thursday.
However, the mayor has yet to disclose the identity of the Cagayan de Oro captive.
Emano managed to talk with the parents of the victim and advised them to keep calm while negotiations held by government are underway for the release of the Filipino captives.
The mayor said he heard from reports that one of the captives had died due to starvation but this has yet to be verified by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
DFA spokesman Gilbert Asuque said the National Government had sought the help of the group International Red Crescent through the various consulates in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and Kenya to extend food rations to the starving Filipino captives.
Asuque said the ship owners had been negotiating with the armed group since they took over the Dubai-registered oil tanker named the mt LIN1 last March 29. The 20 Filipinos are crewmembers of that vessel.
He said despite repeated warnings to vessels to steer away from Somalia, the oil tanker still proceeded to unload its cargo in the area.
This incident marked the second kidnapping incident involving natives from the province of Misamis Oriental, of which Cagayan de Oro is considered the capital city.
Last year, two natives of Balingasag town in Misamis Oriental who served onboard a Taiwanese freighter were kidnapped by Somali clan members.
Talks for their release were spearheaded by the DFA through contacts with Taiwanese government officials and Somali clans.
The two were later freed. It was not revealed if ransom was paid for their release.
The country of Somalia had been engaged in decades-long civil war as rival clans continually fight each other for control of the war-ravaged nation.
The fighting continues despite limited US intervention, which resulted in the deaths of some US troopers. A film by British director Ridley Scott entitled "Black Hawk Down" was made on this incident.
(June 9, 2006 issue)
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