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Saturday, March 12, 2005
US joins efforts to free Pinoy hostage in Iraq
DAVAO CITY -- Washington has stepped into efforts to rescue Dabawenyo overseas worker Roberto "Bobby" Tarongoy after Iraqi militants holding him captive warned they would kill him if the Philippine government refuses to give in to their demands.
Tarongoy's abductors set a deadline of 11 p.m. Friday (8 a.m., March 12, Manila time) for government to pull out Filipino troops and contract workers from Iraq.
In a television interview, US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone said the US government is helping the Philippines in its efforts to free Tarongoy, who has been held captive by Iraqi militants for the past five months.
Ricciardone did not give details of the US assistance to the Philippines regarding the Tarongoy case.
In Manila, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's spokesman Ignacio Bunye the government was doing its best to work for the release of Tarongoy.
Tarongoy's parents have written Arroyo asking her to order the pullout of Filipino workers from Iraq and review the country's labor deployment policy.
"We will let the people on the ground handle the situation. I believe they are in the best position to deal with the situation. We're working on this situation but I'd rather that the details be left with those who are trying to save Tarongoy," Bunye said.
He said Philippine officials in Baghdad are doing everything to contact Tarongoy's kidnappers and secure his release.
"What we can do is to help him through our prayers so that our countryman can return home safely. Let us hope for the best and let's pray for the safety of Roberto Tarongoy," he said.
Asked to confirm rumors that government offered US$6 million for Tarongoy's release, he said: "I have no way of confirming that. This is being handled by our officials on the ground. As I said, they know what they're doing and we hope they are successful."
He said the no-ransom policy stands and the government is extending support to the negotiators in the ground. "We have full faith and confidence on the team that is handling this," he also said.
"The President and the administration is exerting all efforts that are needed to save our countryman," he said.
He said Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis has been in Iraq for five months trying to recover Tarongoy. "It's very difficult to judge the effort but we know that Undersecretary Seguis is doing his best," he added.
Tarongoy was kidnapped on Nov. 1, 2004.
On Thursday, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Malacañang is still hoping that negotiators would still be able to pull a fast one and rescue Tarongoy before the deadline.
Ermita dismissed the fact that Tarongoy was already wearing an orange jumpsuit in his latest video, which showed that he is nearing the time of his execution.
"The important thing is the latest we got from them is that there is proof of life, meaning, there is proof that indeed he is still alive and the negotiation is being undertaken by the company," he said.
He said the orange jumpsuit could just be a "psy-war" plot employed by kidnappers so government would give in to their demands.
Ermita said the captors' demand for the pullout of Filipino workers in Iraq was "not very prominent" in the negotiations, unlike in the case of Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz. (Sun.Star Davao/RB)
| Post your experiences to the Sun.Star Graduation section. Click here. | 2005-02-24 04:52:02
mcalvo - My graduation was unforgettable to me and to my classmates. I was so drunk the night before graduation. During the ceremony i dozed to the point of snooring even when i was already standing i was half sleeping. Our dean has to call my name twice and the person behind me has to push me just to wake me up... graduations are memorable...enjoy and congratulations to all graduates!
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(March 12, 2005 issue)
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