Saturday, October 21, 2006
Malacañang welcomes release of Sulu hostages
THE Arroyo administration on Friday welcomed the release of the four workers in a US-funded road project who were abducted in Sulu last Tuesday.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said they were specifically glad with the participation of local government officials led by Sulu Governor Benjamin Loong who reportedly talked to relatives of the abductors to help speed up the release.
Ermita, in an ambush interview after the birthday celebration of Presidential adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio, said such cooperation is what the government needs to address the security problem, particularly in parts of Mindanao.
"We are glad the local government stepped into the picture. We do not want to instill fear among contractors during projects because of kidnapping there. The economic activity will be affected. I'm glad that Govenor Loong stepped into the picture," he said.
Loong said the victims, identified as US Agency for International Development (Usaid) workers Romeo Rivero, Isidro Amaranon, Larry Bautista, and Reynaldo Rubio, were released after negotiations with relatives of kidnappers.
He said the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) also helped in the negotiations.
The police however said the four escaped while their guards were asleep. The victims were reportedly found by the police around 6 a.m. in Parang.
The victims pointed to a certain Bong Iskandal, a former Abu Sayyaf member hired to secure the four, as the leader of the abduction. (JMR/Sunnex)
(October 21, 2006 issue)
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