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Thursday, June 23, 2005
Tarongoy freed by Iraqi captors
MANILA -- Joyful shouts and prayers broke out at the parents' home of 31-year-old Robert Tarongoy, the overseas worker from Davao who was held hostage in Iraq since November 1, after relatives received official word that Tarongoy has finally been released Wednesday.
The announcement was first made to the media by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who said Tarongoy is now in the hands of the Iraq Crisis Team led by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis.
However, Tarongoy's family who is in their house at Madapo Hills, Davao City received the news from Labor Undersecretary Susan Ople.
After the burst of excitement, the family was preparing for a thanksgiving mass.
No ransom
Tarongoy, an accountant for a Saudi company that does catering for the Iraqi army, was kidnapped on November 1 along with American Roy Hallums from their office in Baghdad after a gun battle killed an Iraqi guard and an attacker. A Nepalese and three Iraqis were also abducted but later freed.
"Finally, Robert Tarongoy is going home after a long time," Arroyo told reporters. "He is now in the hands of our Iraq crisis team. They're arranging how Robert Tarongoy can go home."
She said she talked to him by phone, but did not elaborate.
Meanwhile, Labor Undersecretary Danilo Cruz said no ransom was paid in exchange for Tarongoy's freedom.
He said the government had made it clear from the very start of the hostage crisis that no ransom would be paid.
All set to fly
In an interview, Tarongoy's younger sister, Lilibeth said Labor Undersecretary Susan Ople called her older brother, Eugene, at around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday to inform that the abductors already released Bobby.
Lilibeth said they were not able to talk with Bobby yet.
"Kumukuha ng tickets ang parents namin ngayon para makalipad agad to Manila. Ang sasama papunta Manila ay ang parents ni Bobby, his wife and mother-in-law," Lilibeth said when contacted through cellular phone late afternoon Wednesday.
Neighbors are celebrating with them, she said. It's like a fiesta.
"After Undersecretary Ople called up, we heard over radio reports that Bobby was already freed by his captors," she said.
Bobby's brother, who stood as the family's spokesperson since he was held captive was not available for comment as of press time as he was out of the house.
Great relief
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte welcomed the news about Tarongoy's release with "great relief".
Human rights group Karapatan chair Ariel Casilao also said they are happy that Tarongoy can finally go home after eight months.
"But as long as the Philippines maintains its subservience to the US-led invasion in Iraq thousands of our Overseas Filipino Workers struggling in Iraq like Bobby will be vulnerable to the same fate Bobby experienced. We maintain our position that the government must have political will in withdrawing the onerous alliance with the US government," he said.
He belittled Arroyo's announcement saying it was just another ploy by the President to regain her "ruined credibility". (Aurelia A. Gerundio and Ben O. Tesiorna of Sun.Star Davao/AP/Sunnex)
(June 23, 2005 issue)
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