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Sunday, November 07, 2004
Gov't awaits confirmation of Tarongoy's release
MANILA -- Malacaņang said Saturday it was still awaiting confirmation of the reported release of Roberto "Bobby" Tarongoy by Iraqi militants in Baghdad.
On Friday, Arabic television station Al-Jazeera said Tarongoy and a Nepalese kidnapped earlier in the week have been released by their captors.
Nepalese officials confirmed their countryman had been freed but the Filipinos could not.
"As of this hour (4:00 p.m. Philippine time), the Department of Foreign Affairs crisis management team cannot confirm earlier media reports regarding the supposed release of (Tarongoy) by his abductors," the foreign affairs office said in a statement.
It said Eric Endaya, the charge d'affaires of the Philippine embassy in Baghdad "is speaking with our contacts in Iraq" to get information on Tarongoy.
It said the contacts, who were not identified, assisted in efforts to win the freedom of Filipino truck driver Angelo dela Cruz who was seized by Iraqi insurgents in July.
The Philippines then was persuaded to withdraw its small peacekeeping contingent in exchange for the life of dela Cruz, a move criticized by Washington and its allies but hailed in the Philippines.
Endaya also is in touch with officials of the Saudi Trading and Construction Co.(Satcco), Tarongoy's employer that provided catering and foodstuffs to the Iraqi army and others, the statement said.
Tarongoy, Nepalese Inus Dewari, an unidentified American colleague and three Iraqis were seized by gunmen from the Saudi company's compound in Baghdad Monday. Two of the Iraqi guards have earlier been released.
Al-Jazeera, the Qatar-based satellite network did not give a source for its information, saying the release of the two hostages comes after the wife of Tarongoy appealed to the kidnappers for his release on the occasion of Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Ivy Tarongoy appealed for her husband's release and reminded his abductors that there are no longer any Filipino troops in Iraq.
No rejoicing yet
On the other hand, the Tarongoy's in Davao City are not rejoicing yet on the reported release of Bobby pending confirmation from Malacaņang.
Isabelita, mother of Tarongoy, said even the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) did not give them any confirmation regarding the reported release of her son from his abductors.
While awaiting reports on Tarongoy's whereabouts, Owwa officials are conducting daily psychosocial sessions with Bobby's parents to help them handle their son's case.
"We started giving them psycho-social sessions last November 3. So far, okay naman ang response ng family. Nailalabas nila 'yung nararamdaman nila about the whole situation (So far, the response of the family is good. They were able to express their feelings about the whole situation)," Owwa 11 director Zenobia Caro told reporters.
Relocate
Meanwhile, with the things are going in Iraq, Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said the government may decide to relocate or evacuate the Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Iraq particularly the "irregular" workers who are employed outside of the green zone areas.
"The safest place in Iraq are the camps at this time and if the situation there worsen we might be forced to evacuate them," Sto. Tomas added noting that there is an estimated 200 OFWs living outside of the green zone areas.
"We might lift the ban if we see that situation and warring forces subsides but we will have to revisit first our policy," Sto. Tomas noted.
There are an estimated 5,000 OFWs in Iraq and majority of them are working inside the two United States military camps namely Camps Anaconda and Victory. (With Marie Neri, Aurea A. Gerundio of Sun.Star Davao and AP)
(November 7, 2004 issue)
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