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Wednesday, November 10, 2004
RP seeks to strike deal for 2 Pinoy hostages' release
By Marie Neri
MANILA -- Negotiations are ongoing between the Philippine government and the Iraqi abductors of Robert Tarongoy for his release, amid the militants' demands of US$12 million and release of four Iraqi prisoners in exchange for the Filipino's freedom.
Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas refused to give the identities of the kidnappers but said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Middle East Preparedness Team are handling the negotiations.
Sto. Tomas said Tarongoy's kidnappers have contacted his employer, the Saudi Arabian Trading and Construction Co. (Satco), and listed their demands for the release of the hostages.
Satco is broking the talks between the Philippine government and the Iraqi militants for Tarongoy's immediate release.
In Davao, two officials, Davao City first district Rep. Prospero "Boy" Nograles and Secretary Silvestre Belle III, do not want government to pay the ransom demanded by the kidnappers.
Sto. Tomas said her department has been tasked to ensure the safety of the family of Tarongoy who arrived in Manila last November 3 from Davao City and is now under the care of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa).
Another Filipino hostage, United Nations (UN) election worker Angelito Nayan, was allowed a phone call by his Afghan kidnappers and he used this to talk to someone from the Department of Foreign Affairs, where he worked as a junior diplomat.
"He called and asked a duty officer of the department to tell his sister that he's OK," an official speaking on condition of anonymity said.
A spokesman for the Afghan government said "progress has been made" toward ending the kidnapping crisis.
"I'm hopeful that we will see their safe release in the near future," said Jawed Ludin.
The militants holding Nayan and two other election workers had set 2 p.m. in Afghanistan as a deadline for Afghan and UN officials to arrange for the release of 26 prisoners from the US prison for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, though a spokesman said Tuesday they would wait until evening.
Nayan was kidnapped on Oct. 28 at the capital city of Kabul in Afghanistan while Tarongoy was taken hostage in Baghdad, Iraq on Nov. 1.
The families of the Filipino hostages have repeatedly pleaded for their release in the spirit of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, saying the two men have nothing to do with the conflicts in the two countries. (AP/With Sunnex Luzon)
(November 10, 2004 issue)
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