Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Freed hostage recalls nightmare in Iraq
By Aurea A. Gerundio
DAVAO CITY -- For almost eight months, he never saw light and was not even allowed to stand, overseas Filipino worker Robert "Bobby" Tarongoy said a week after he arrived in Davao City, finally breaking his silence on his harrowing experience while in the hands of his captors in Iraq.
During a thanksgiving mass at the St. Jude seminary hall over the weekend, Bobby shared with the people how he was able to survive his near eight months in captivity.
Bobby said the incident on November 1, 2004 was so swift. He remembered calling his family here in Davao City about two hours before heavily armed men barged into their office in Iraq and abducted him.
He said he was telling his wife Ivy that same day that a Filipino, whose name is Angelito Nayan, was abducted in Iraq.
Bobby said he even assured Ivy that he will be safe. "Pila ka bulan sukad pag-abduct sa ako kay gibalhin-balhin ko. Blind-folded ug naghigda lang for almost 24 hours a day. Wala gyud ko kita og kahayag (A few months after I was abducted I was constantly transferred from one place to another. I was kept blindfolded and made to lie down for 24 hours a day. I never saw light)," Bobby said in tears.
He was rarely able to take a bath, he said.
Bobby said prayer was his weapon at those times when most Filipinos believed he was already killed by his abductors.
"Gikalimtan na lang usa nako akong pamilya kay para dili kaayo ko maging emotional. Balik-balikon nako og sulti ang (I just blanked out memories of my family so that I could contain my emotions and just repeatedly prayed), God please help me, Lord please help me," Bobby said.
Bobby repeatedly thanked the Arroyo government and the people who helped rescue him from his Iraqi abductors.
"I-ampo nato nga wala na unta'y lain maka-experience sa akong na-experience. Dili sayon (Let's pray that no one else experiences what I experienced. It was not easy)," Bobby said.
Ivy, meanwhile, said Bobby is still undergoing physical therapy as he lost much weight and could barely walk on his own yet. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
(July 5, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
Gov't to SC: Lift stop order v. expanded VAT