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Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Misamis Oriental captives come back home
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
CAGAYAN DE ORO -- After almost six months of captivity in the hands of Somali pirates, the three overseas workers from Balingasag, Misamis Oriental arrived in the city and are now back in the arms of their families Tuesday.
Their arrival however was marred with reports of typical credit grabbing among local politicians as to who really helped in the safe and early release of the three overseas workers -- Janito Ranido, 41, Amado Espinas, 37, and Agustin Ybañez, 42.
But Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno clarified that it was the prayers and sacrifices to God, humility of all concern nations in the international community, cooperation of the Taiwanese vessel owners and local authorities and abroad that were factors leading to the safe release of all 47 Somali hostages.
"Their release is enough for me," Moreno said.
On August 16, 2005, some 47 crewmembers aboard three Taiwanese fishing vessels Hsin Lien Fa No. 36, Chieng Qing Feng, and Chung Yi No. 218 were seized by Marehan soldiers at Kismayu Harbor in Somalia, Africa and taken as hostages.
Blackmailed
Ybañez, Ranido, and Espinas recounted their ordeal saying their fishing vessel was setting sail for Somali waters and that their captain wanted to have the proper permits to do so.
They said their captain was contacted by an agency purporting to be authorized to issue permits for their vessels to legally fish in Somali waters but that they were swindled.
"Nagbayad ang among capitan ug US$36,000 pero na-blackmail diay mi kay wala man diay kabalo ang mga Somali didto wala man gani silay gubyerno (Our captain paid US$36,000 but we were blackmailed because the Somalis didn't know and they don't even have a government)" Ybañez said.
On the morning of August 17, 2005, the three captives recounted how they were having breakfast at their vessel when some Somali pirates arrived.
"Giti-onan man gyud mi sa ilang dagkong armas mao wala gyud mi nabuhat (We couldn't do anything since they were aiming their weapons at us)," Espinas said.
The hostages said the pirates were armed with AK-47 and other high-powered firearms boarded their vessels and looted everything they could find.
They said even their personal belongings were all brought and spread out by the pirates who immediately changed their clothes with those belonging to the vessel crew.
The three hostages said they were then brought to a place in Kumayo, Somalia where some 200 other Somali pirates guarded them and fed them with beans and other Halal foods.
They also demanded US$500,000 for each vessel as ransom but Ybañez said this was brought down to US$155,000.
They said the Somali leader assigned to them was a certain "Abdullahi."
Pressure
The three hostages recounted how initially there were some difficulties in communicating and negotiating with the pirates considering the language barrier.
"Kung dili pa kabalo mo-iningles ang Filipino patay nami adto tanan (If the Filipino didn't know how to speak English, we would have all been killed)," Ybañez said.
With the help of the Filipinos who acted as interpreters, the proper authorities were reached and the negotiations for their release were initiated.
Moreno said there was some difficulty on who should face the Somali pirates considering that there is no government in Somalia.
Also, he said there was the challenge on who among the nations involved should negotiate for the release of the Taiwanese vessels and their crew.
This considering that the vessels were registered in Taiwan and some of the 47 hostages were Chinese, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Filipinos among others.
"And there is the One-China Policy and that our country could not deal directly with Taiwan as it would be a breach of international comity," he said.
"But every nation gave way and cooperated with each other just for the release of the hostages," Moreno added.
Moreno said pressure for the release of the hostages was also exerted during the United Nations Security Council meeting wherein President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was the presiding officer.
Unusual sacrifices
Back here, the families, friends and other concern individuals were informed of the situation and could do nothing but ask for some Divine Intervention to hasten the safe release of all Somali hostages.
Espinas's wife Criseldes said they held several prayer vigils and even went through "unusual sacrifices" in the hopes of some Divine Intervention.
"Adtoon gud to namong simbahan sa bungtod nga motabok pami ug pito ko sapa kay grabe ang among kabalaka (We would go to great lengths just to go to a church and pray our worries away)," she said.
Last January 29, the 47 hostages were released. Ranido, Espinas and Yba¤ez headed for Penang, Malaysia where they called up Moreno.
Moreno who was constantly furnished an update on the status of the negotiations and the conditions of the hostages by Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas and the Department of Foreign Affairs was already informed of the news.
Moreno inquired from the three Balingasag natives of their health and travel documents among others.
"There are so many people to thank for their release. Filipino Labor Attaché Josephus Jimenez and Labor Secretary Sto. Tomas, Undersecretary Cruz, Elizabeth Recio our labor representative in Kaohsiung, etc.," Moreno enumerated. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)
(March 1, 2006 issue)
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