14 freed RP seafarers to arrive home from Nigeria
05/27/2009 | 04:28 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Fourteen of the 16 Filipino seafarers on board the hijacked MV Spirit in Nigeria would be flown back to Manila, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
The first batch of eight Filipino seafarers would arrive Wednesday evening at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) with Geranfel T. Abrillo from the Philippine Embassy in Abuja. The remaining six will arrive on Thursday.
At least two seafarers who sustained injuries after the daring rescue mission by Niger authorities have been given medical attention before their departure in Nigeria and will be further assisted upon their arrival in Manila. [See: 2 rescued Pinoy seafarers in Nigeria injured - DFA]
Despite the rescue, two more Filipino seamen remain with members of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, which hijacked the MV Spirit, a chartered oil tanker, last May 13.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Esteban Conejos, Jr. said the Philippine Government is coordinating with the Nigerian Foreign Ministry and the Nigerian State Security Services to look for the remaining two seafarers.
"We are exerting all efforts to confirm the whereabouts and condition of the two other seafarers. We have met and are coordinating with their families in Manila," he said.
The Philippines has stopped sending Filipino workers to the African country in 2007 due to kidnappings and civil unrest in the Niger delta. The ban, however, doesn’t cover seafarers passing through the important waterway in Nigeria.
Several migrant groups in Manila and even in the Nigerian capital of Abuja are lobbying for the Philippines to lift the deployment ban citing better working conditions in the oil-rich country. [See: Seafarers’ ban should be on Nigeria, not Somalia - UFS]
But Conejos is not quick to lift the deployment ban just yet.
"This recent incident where a number of Filipino seafarers were hurt in the crossfire between Nigerian security forces and Nigerian militants highlights again the dangerous situation in the Niger Delta," Conejos said. - Joseph Holandes Ubalde, GMANews.TV
...at ano naman kaya ang maiiwan natin sa susunod na henerasyon?
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Sra. Giuseppina Settembri
Obituary
To all Filipinos attending the services at Nunciature, the passing of the mother of His Excellency Most Rev. Renzo Fratini, is announced.
Let us all pray for her soul and for the Nuncio's (and his family) fortitude to bear the loss.
Good Day!
Please pray for the eternal repose of the soul of GIUSEPPINA SETTEMBRI, the mother of His Excellency Most. Rev. Renzo Fratini, the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria.
Thank you very much!
In Christ,
Sr. Ma. Gracia Almira, MCST
Apostolic Nunciature in Nigeria
To all Filipinos attending the services at Nunciature, the passing of the mother of His Excellency Most Rev. Renzo Fratini, is announced.
Let us all pray for her soul and for the Nuncio's (and his family) fortitude to bear the loss.
Good Day!
Please pray for the eternal repose of the soul of GIUSEPPINA SETTEMBRI, the mother of His Excellency Most. Rev. Renzo Fratini, the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria.
Thank you very much!
In Christ,
Sr. Ma. Gracia Almira, MCST
Apostolic Nunciature in Nigeria
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
SEAFARERS - Nigerian militants free three Filipino hostages
Nigerian militants free three Filipino hostages
05/25/2009 | 04:28 PM
(Updated 5:03 p.m.) LAGOS, Nigeria — Militants in Nigeria's southern oil delta said Monday they had destroyed major pipelines in the region and freed three Filipinos taken hostage earlier this month.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said it had destroyed crude-bearing pipes run by Chevron Corp. early Monday in Delta State, where the military has launched its largest operation in years against militants.
The group said the destruction was intended to stanch the flow of oil from five so-called flow stations, which route crude oil from wells into larger pipes heading toward refineries and export terminals.
In a statement, the militants also said they had released three Filipino hostages seized earlier this month.
Officials for the military and Chevron were not immediately available for comment.
The military launched its operation in Rivers State nearly two weeks ago, after rare clashes between armed forces and the militants in the Scotland-sized region of swamps, rivers and creeks. The militants say they have killed at least 12 soldiers, and the military says it is searching for 11 troops missing in the area.
Amnesty International says hundreds of people may have been killed, including innocent bystanders to the violence. But the military has classed the entire Niger Delta region as a military zone, severely curtailing access for reporters and aid workers. A true death toll isn't known.
The militants say they are fighting to force the federal government to send more of the oil-industry funds it controls to the Niger Delta, which remains deeply impoverished despite five decades of oil production. But criminality and militancy are closely linked, with many leaders of the militant groups growing rich by stealing oil from pipelines and selling it overseas.
An upsurge in violence that began in early 2006 has seen hundreds of foreign workers kidnapped and dozens of attacks on crucial oil infrastructure. Hostages are normally released unharmed although several have died during botched snatch or rescue attempts, including two other Filipino hostages killed as violence flared this month.
Militant activities have trimmed Nigeria's daily oil output by about 25 percent off pre-2006 heights, with Africa's oil giant producing about 1.6 million barrels per day now. The government says no more production has been lost in the recent spate of violence. - AP
More Filipino hostages rescued in Nigerian Delta
Reuters | 05/24/2009 11:22 PM
WARRI, Nigeria - Nigerian security forces said they had freed three more Filipino hostages in the oil-producing Niger Delta on Saturday and vowed to press on with an offensive that has forced hundreds of villagers to flee.
Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft were being used to survey the creeks and guide ground troops to try to flush out militants from remote communities around the port of Warri, military spokesman Colonel Rabe Abubakar said.
"We were able to rescue three Filipinos today," he said. "People should not be panicked when they see helicopters or planes. Innocent people should not fear. We are targeting the militants, not them."
He said the three Filipino hostages freed on Saturday were among more than a dozen seized 10 days ago from an oil vessel in Chanomi Creek near Warri. Nine other Filipinos and four Nigerians had already been freed.
The military began its biggest offensive for years just over a week ago, bombarding militant camps around Warri from the air and sea before sending three battalions of soldiers to hunt down rebels believed to have fled into surrounding communities.
Foreign oil firms have evacuated non-essential staff from the western delta, home to part of Africa's biggest oil industry, but production has continued largely unaffected and global oil markets have shrugged off the unrest.
Militant groups say they are fighting for a fairer share of the oil wealth for local people in the delta, still mired in poverty despite five decades of oil extraction.
The armed gangs have also grown rich from the large-scale theft of crude oil, worth millions of dollars a day, and the line between militancy and criminality is blurred.
Major-General Sakin-Yaki Bello, commander of the joint military task force in the Niger Delta, has said he ordered a "pinpoint helicopter attack" on the home of militant leader Government Tompolo in the village of Oporoza on May 15.
The military says aircraft have only been used for surveillance since then.
Hiding in the bush
Local authorities handed out basic goods including rice, groundnut oil and soap to hundreds of people, mostly women and children, on the outskirts of Warri on Saturday who said they fled from Oporoza and surrounding communities in recent days.
"We were in Oporoza when the plane started dropping bombs. Everyone ran into the bush," Doreen Aborowa, in her early 20s, told Reuters in local government offices in Ogbe-Ijoh on the edge of Warri, where the displaced were being cared for.
"We slept in the bush for three days before somebody from the village came with a canoe to start taking us away," she said, explaining that the men had stayed behind for fear they would be arrested by the army if found travelling the waterways.
Abubakar said 11 soldiers from the delta task force were missing and the "cordon-and-search" operation would continue until they were found.
Some leaders from the Ijaw ethnic group, the largest in the Niger Delta, have accused the military of a targeted ethnic campaign and say innocent civilians have been killed in the villages of the Gbaramatu Kingdom around Oporoza.
Chief Godspower Gbenekama, a traditional Gbaramatu Kingdom leader, said three communities -- Venikrukru, Daubiriye and Egonoebizor -- were attacked by the army on Saturday.
"I am told the oldest man in Gbaramatu Kingdom, who could not run, was killed in the operation as well as a woman and two children," he said.
Abubakar said he was not aware of any such attack on Saturday.
as of 05/24/2009 11:22 PM
05/25/2009 | 04:28 PM
(Updated 5:03 p.m.) LAGOS, Nigeria — Militants in Nigeria's southern oil delta said Monday they had destroyed major pipelines in the region and freed three Filipinos taken hostage earlier this month.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said it had destroyed crude-bearing pipes run by Chevron Corp. early Monday in Delta State, where the military has launched its largest operation in years against militants.
The group said the destruction was intended to stanch the flow of oil from five so-called flow stations, which route crude oil from wells into larger pipes heading toward refineries and export terminals.
In a statement, the militants also said they had released three Filipino hostages seized earlier this month.
Officials for the military and Chevron were not immediately available for comment.
The military launched its operation in Rivers State nearly two weeks ago, after rare clashes between armed forces and the militants in the Scotland-sized region of swamps, rivers and creeks. The militants say they have killed at least 12 soldiers, and the military says it is searching for 11 troops missing in the area.
Amnesty International says hundreds of people may have been killed, including innocent bystanders to the violence. But the military has classed the entire Niger Delta region as a military zone, severely curtailing access for reporters and aid workers. A true death toll isn't known.
The militants say they are fighting to force the federal government to send more of the oil-industry funds it controls to the Niger Delta, which remains deeply impoverished despite five decades of oil production. But criminality and militancy are closely linked, with many leaders of the militant groups growing rich by stealing oil from pipelines and selling it overseas.
An upsurge in violence that began in early 2006 has seen hundreds of foreign workers kidnapped and dozens of attacks on crucial oil infrastructure. Hostages are normally released unharmed although several have died during botched snatch or rescue attempts, including two other Filipino hostages killed as violence flared this month.
Militant activities have trimmed Nigeria's daily oil output by about 25 percent off pre-2006 heights, with Africa's oil giant producing about 1.6 million barrels per day now. The government says no more production has been lost in the recent spate of violence. - AP
More Filipino hostages rescued in Nigerian Delta
Reuters | 05/24/2009 11:22 PM
WARRI, Nigeria - Nigerian security forces said they had freed three more Filipino hostages in the oil-producing Niger Delta on Saturday and vowed to press on with an offensive that has forced hundreds of villagers to flee.
Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft were being used to survey the creeks and guide ground troops to try to flush out militants from remote communities around the port of Warri, military spokesman Colonel Rabe Abubakar said.
"We were able to rescue three Filipinos today," he said. "People should not be panicked when they see helicopters or planes. Innocent people should not fear. We are targeting the militants, not them."
He said the three Filipino hostages freed on Saturday were among more than a dozen seized 10 days ago from an oil vessel in Chanomi Creek near Warri. Nine other Filipinos and four Nigerians had already been freed.
The military began its biggest offensive for years just over a week ago, bombarding militant camps around Warri from the air and sea before sending three battalions of soldiers to hunt down rebels believed to have fled into surrounding communities.
Foreign oil firms have evacuated non-essential staff from the western delta, home to part of Africa's biggest oil industry, but production has continued largely unaffected and global oil markets have shrugged off the unrest.
Militant groups say they are fighting for a fairer share of the oil wealth for local people in the delta, still mired in poverty despite five decades of oil extraction.
The armed gangs have also grown rich from the large-scale theft of crude oil, worth millions of dollars a day, and the line between militancy and criminality is blurred.
Major-General Sakin-Yaki Bello, commander of the joint military task force in the Niger Delta, has said he ordered a "pinpoint helicopter attack" on the home of militant leader Government Tompolo in the village of Oporoza on May 15.
The military says aircraft have only been used for surveillance since then.
Hiding in the bush
Local authorities handed out basic goods including rice, groundnut oil and soap to hundreds of people, mostly women and children, on the outskirts of Warri on Saturday who said they fled from Oporoza and surrounding communities in recent days.
"We were in Oporoza when the plane started dropping bombs. Everyone ran into the bush," Doreen Aborowa, in her early 20s, told Reuters in local government offices in Ogbe-Ijoh on the edge of Warri, where the displaced were being cared for.
"We slept in the bush for three days before somebody from the village came with a canoe to start taking us away," she said, explaining that the men had stayed behind for fear they would be arrested by the army if found travelling the waterways.
Abubakar said 11 soldiers from the delta task force were missing and the "cordon-and-search" operation would continue until they were found.
Some leaders from the Ijaw ethnic group, the largest in the Niger Delta, have accused the military of a targeted ethnic campaign and say innocent civilians have been killed in the villages of the Gbaramatu Kingdom around Oporoza.
Chief Godspower Gbenekama, a traditional Gbaramatu Kingdom leader, said three communities -- Venikrukru, Daubiriye and Egonoebizor -- were attacked by the army on Saturday.
"I am told the oldest man in Gbaramatu Kingdom, who could not run, was killed in the operation as well as a woman and two children," he said.
Abubakar said he was not aware of any such attack on Saturday.
as of 05/24/2009 11:22 PM
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Seafarers’ ban should be on Nigeria, not Somalia - UFS
Seafarers’ ban should be on Nigeria, not Somalia - UFS
MARK JOSEPH H. UBALDE, GMANews.TV
05/22/2009 | 07:46 PM
MANILA, Philippines - A group of Filipino seafarers is urging the government to rethink its deployment ban to high-risk piracy zones near Somali waters and focus instead on banning seamen to the Nigerian delta.
The United Filipino Seafarers (UFS) issued the statement on Friday after 11 Filipino seafarers were rescued from Nigerian insurgents early this week. Five more Filipinos on board the oil tanker MV Spirit remain with Nigerian bandits. [See: 2 more Pinoy seafarers rescued in Nigeria - DFA]
“Unlike the Gulf of Aden where the risk of piracy is sporadic, Nigeria is practically a war-torn country and the danger is quite imminent especially for seafarers who are working onboard vessels plying within the Nigerian coastal waters," said UFS president Nelson Ramirez.
The Philippines has stopped sending Filipino workers to the African country in 2007 due to kidnappings and civil unrest in the Niger delta. The ban, however, doesn’t cover seafarers passing through the important waterway in Nigeria.
Ramirez has been a staunch critic of the government’s deployment ban on Filipino seafarers to the Gulf of Aden, calling the policy risky and ridiculous. [See: 'Deployment ban to Gulf of Aden risky, ridiculous']
The UFS president receives reports that there are at least 13 commercial vessels are currently trapped in the Swari River as a result of the ongoing firefighting between military forces and members of the rebel group Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND).
“Those ships cannot proceed with their sailing schedule as they may be caught in the crossfire. As many of the vessels are manned by Filipino seafarers, they are actually confused on what to do next and would like to seek the assistance of the government," Ramirez said.
The UFS is the latest group to affirm the government’s deployment ban of Filipino workers to Nigeria since 2007. Several migrant groups in Manila and even in the Nigerian capital of Abuja are lobbying for the Philippines to lift the deployment ban citing better working conditions in the oil-rich country.
“We support the call of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) … that the government lift the ban on Nigeria," Center for Migrant Advocacy executive director Ellen Sana recently told GMANews.TV.
Sana also claimed that the Filipinos in Nigeria – most of whom are reportedly happily working and living there since the 1970s – are safe. - GMANews.TV
MARK JOSEPH H. UBALDE, GMANews.TV
05/22/2009 | 07:46 PM
MANILA, Philippines - A group of Filipino seafarers is urging the government to rethink its deployment ban to high-risk piracy zones near Somali waters and focus instead on banning seamen to the Nigerian delta.
The United Filipino Seafarers (UFS) issued the statement on Friday after 11 Filipino seafarers were rescued from Nigerian insurgents early this week. Five more Filipinos on board the oil tanker MV Spirit remain with Nigerian bandits. [See: 2 more Pinoy seafarers rescued in Nigeria - DFA]
“Unlike the Gulf of Aden where the risk of piracy is sporadic, Nigeria is practically a war-torn country and the danger is quite imminent especially for seafarers who are working onboard vessels plying within the Nigerian coastal waters," said UFS president Nelson Ramirez.
The Philippines has stopped sending Filipino workers to the African country in 2007 due to kidnappings and civil unrest in the Niger delta. The ban, however, doesn’t cover seafarers passing through the important waterway in Nigeria.
Ramirez has been a staunch critic of the government’s deployment ban on Filipino seafarers to the Gulf of Aden, calling the policy risky and ridiculous. [See: 'Deployment ban to Gulf of Aden risky, ridiculous']
The UFS president receives reports that there are at least 13 commercial vessels are currently trapped in the Swari River as a result of the ongoing firefighting between military forces and members of the rebel group Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND).
“Those ships cannot proceed with their sailing schedule as they may be caught in the crossfire. As many of the vessels are manned by Filipino seafarers, they are actually confused on what to do next and would like to seek the assistance of the government," Ramirez said.
The UFS is the latest group to affirm the government’s deployment ban of Filipino workers to Nigeria since 2007. Several migrant groups in Manila and even in the Nigerian capital of Abuja are lobbying for the Philippines to lift the deployment ban citing better working conditions in the oil-rich country.
“We support the call of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) … that the government lift the ban on Nigeria," Center for Migrant Advocacy executive director Ellen Sana recently told GMANews.TV.
Sana also claimed that the Filipinos in Nigeria – most of whom are reportedly happily working and living there since the 1970s – are safe. - GMANews.TV
SEAFARERS
Nigeria: 8 Filipino hostages, 4 Ukrainians, rescued from militants
05/23/2009 | 12:03 AM
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria's foreign minister said Friday that the military has rescued 12 hostages – eight Filipinos and four Ukrainians – from militants being targeted by the armed forces in the southern oil region.
Ojo Maduekwe told diplomats gathered in the capital, Abuja, that a weeklong military operation aimed at uprooting militant fighters in a southern state was aimed at neutralizing a threat to Nigerian sovereignty as well as security across the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea region.
He also said the stepped-up activities of the military task force, known as the JTF, were not retribution for soldiers killed by militants, who claim at least a dozen troops have died at their hands since the fighting began one week ago.
"JTF operations are not retaliatory. They are partly a reassurance to the troops and their families that members of the of the JTF are not mere sitting ducks for the militants," he said.
The militants, meanwhile, said the three remaining Filipino hostages they're holding will be set free soon. Maduekwe said two other Filipinos had died in the fighting, confirming assertions made earlier by militants.
The military launched its effort May 15 to dislodge fighters loyal to a militant leader, Government Tompolo, in southern Delta state, sending attack helicopters, fighter jets and boats filled with soldiers against the militants' camps. Amnesty International says hundreds of people are feared dead in the violence, but no firm death toll is known.
Activists from the Ijaw ethnic group that live in the area accuse the military of massacring their people and firing on civilians. The military denies the charges.
Authorities consider the entire Niger Delta region, an area of swamps and creeks the size of Scotland, to be a military zone and travel there is strictly controlled. Journalists haven't been able to access the area of the fighting.
It's the military's biggest operation in that part of Nigeria since militant violence began rising in 2006. The militants say they're fighting to force the federal government to send more of the oil-industry derived funds it controls back to the Niger Delta, which remains deeply impoverished despite five decades of oil production. They also sabotage oil pipelines and kidnap foreign workers, who are normally released unharmed after a ransom is paid.
Tompolo had signed a pact with the state government about two years ago not to attack troops or destroy oil pipelines, which had caused a marked decrease in violence in the state, but the clashes appear to have flared after his fighters fought a rare, deadly gunbattle with the military.
Dozens of other militant camps with fighters loyal to various commanders are believed to exist across the southern Niger Delta region where the crude is pumped in Africa's biggest oil producer. The armed forces haven't yet spread their offensive across the region, but militants say they're girding for a fight if it comes. - AP
05/23/2009 | 12:03 AM
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria's foreign minister said Friday that the military has rescued 12 hostages – eight Filipinos and four Ukrainians – from militants being targeted by the armed forces in the southern oil region.
Ojo Maduekwe told diplomats gathered in the capital, Abuja, that a weeklong military operation aimed at uprooting militant fighters in a southern state was aimed at neutralizing a threat to Nigerian sovereignty as well as security across the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea region.
He also said the stepped-up activities of the military task force, known as the JTF, were not retribution for soldiers killed by militants, who claim at least a dozen troops have died at their hands since the fighting began one week ago.
"JTF operations are not retaliatory. They are partly a reassurance to the troops and their families that members of the of the JTF are not mere sitting ducks for the militants," he said.
The militants, meanwhile, said the three remaining Filipino hostages they're holding will be set free soon. Maduekwe said two other Filipinos had died in the fighting, confirming assertions made earlier by militants.
The military launched its effort May 15 to dislodge fighters loyal to a militant leader, Government Tompolo, in southern Delta state, sending attack helicopters, fighter jets and boats filled with soldiers against the militants' camps. Amnesty International says hundreds of people are feared dead in the violence, but no firm death toll is known.
Activists from the Ijaw ethnic group that live in the area accuse the military of massacring their people and firing on civilians. The military denies the charges.
Authorities consider the entire Niger Delta region, an area of swamps and creeks the size of Scotland, to be a military zone and travel there is strictly controlled. Journalists haven't been able to access the area of the fighting.
It's the military's biggest operation in that part of Nigeria since militant violence began rising in 2006. The militants say they're fighting to force the federal government to send more of the oil-industry derived funds it controls back to the Niger Delta, which remains deeply impoverished despite five decades of oil production. They also sabotage oil pipelines and kidnap foreign workers, who are normally released unharmed after a ransom is paid.
Tompolo had signed a pact with the state government about two years ago not to attack troops or destroy oil pipelines, which had caused a marked decrease in violence in the state, but the clashes appear to have flared after his fighters fought a rare, deadly gunbattle with the military.
Dozens of other militant camps with fighters loyal to various commanders are believed to exist across the southern Niger Delta region where the crude is pumped in Africa's biggest oil producer. The armed forces haven't yet spread their offensive across the region, but militants say they're girding for a fight if it comes. - AP
Friday, May 22, 2009
SEAFARERS
2 more Pinoy seafarers rescued in Nigeria - DFA
05/21/2009 | 06:45 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Two more Filipino seafarers who were kidnapped in Nigeria last May 13 were rescued by Nigerian authorities, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos said the duo were to be brought to the Nigerian key city of Lagos to join nine other Filipino crew of the MV Spirit who were rescued earlier.
Five other Filipino seafarers remain in the chartered oil tanker, which was hijacked by Nigerian militants at the Delta State on May 13. The vessel had a total of 16 Filipino crew on board.
Conejos said the Philippine Embassy is coordinating with the Nigerian Foreign Ministry and federal security officials "for the safe release of the five seafarers who remain in the custody of the militants."
A consular team headed by the charge d’affaires of the Philippine Embassy in Abuja, Alex Lamadrid. is to meet with the rescued kidnapping victims in Lagos.
At least two Filipino seafarers – from the first group of nine – sustained slight injuries in the rescue efforts. [See: 2 rescued Pinoy seafarers in Nigeria injured - DFA]
The Philippine government has stopped sending Filipino workers to Nigeria following hostilities and kidnappings of foreign nationals. Several groups have requested that Manila lift the deployment ban as the situation there continues to improve.
Apart from the Gulf of Aden, the waters off Nigeria are considered the most dangerous due to piracy threats.
Global organizations monitoring hijackings have said that more than 200 foreigners have been taken hostage by pirates and other lawless groups across the southern oil region of Africa's biggest petroleum producer.
Foreign shipping and oil companies operating in Nigeria were known in the past to have paid huge amounts to ransom off their crewmen and staff taken hostage by militants.
A number of Filipino workers have also been abducted in the Niger Delta region but were later on freed upon payment ransom. - Mark Joseph Ubalde, GMANews.TV
05/21/2009 | 06:45 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Two more Filipino seafarers who were kidnapped in Nigeria last May 13 were rescued by Nigerian authorities, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos said the duo were to be brought to the Nigerian key city of Lagos to join nine other Filipino crew of the MV Spirit who were rescued earlier.
Five other Filipino seafarers remain in the chartered oil tanker, which was hijacked by Nigerian militants at the Delta State on May 13. The vessel had a total of 16 Filipino crew on board.
Conejos said the Philippine Embassy is coordinating with the Nigerian Foreign Ministry and federal security officials "for the safe release of the five seafarers who remain in the custody of the militants."
A consular team headed by the charge d’affaires of the Philippine Embassy in Abuja, Alex Lamadrid. is to meet with the rescued kidnapping victims in Lagos.
At least two Filipino seafarers – from the first group of nine – sustained slight injuries in the rescue efforts. [See: 2 rescued Pinoy seafarers in Nigeria injured - DFA]
The Philippine government has stopped sending Filipino workers to Nigeria following hostilities and kidnappings of foreign nationals. Several groups have requested that Manila lift the deployment ban as the situation there continues to improve.
Apart from the Gulf of Aden, the waters off Nigeria are considered the most dangerous due to piracy threats.
Global organizations monitoring hijackings have said that more than 200 foreigners have been taken hostage by pirates and other lawless groups across the southern oil region of Africa's biggest petroleum producer.
Foreign shipping and oil companies operating in Nigeria were known in the past to have paid huge amounts to ransom off their crewmen and staff taken hostage by militants.
A number of Filipino workers have also been abducted in the Niger Delta region but were later on freed upon payment ransom. - Mark Joseph Ubalde, GMANews.TV
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
2 rescued Pinoy seafarers in Nigeria injured - DFA
2 rescued Pinoy seafarers in Nigeria injured - DFA
05/19/2009 | 04:10 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Two of the Filipino seafarers rescued last weekend from a hijacked oil tanker in Nigeria were hurt, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos Jr. said the injured were among the nine Filipino seamen — not just six as earlier reported — who were rescued from Niger militants who hijacked the MV Spirit on May 13.
The MV Spirit had a seven other crew members of different nationalities, the DFa said.
“Two of the nine rescued Filipino seafarers had slight injuries," Conejos said.
DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo had earlier dispatched Conejos to personally look into the condition and welfare of the Filipino seafarers on board the chartered oil tanker.
Quoting Nigerian army spokesperson Colonel Rabe Abubakar, the DFA reported that the latest operations brought the number of freed hostages to 13, including the nine Filipinos and four Nigerians.
“A consular team was sent to the city of Warri in Delta State where the hijacking took place, and the nine rescued Filipino sailors are expected to be turned over to the embassy’s custody shortly," Conejos added.
Conejos and. Alex Lamadrid, Charge d’Affaires of the Philippine Embassy in Abuja, had met and continue to communicate with the Nigerian foreign ministry and federal security officials for the safe and early release of the remaining Filipino seafarers in the custody of Nigerian militants, the DFA said.
After years of militant activity and lack of maintenance on crucial oil infrastructure, Nigeria produces about 1.6 million barrels of crude per day, or about one quarter less than its stated capacity
The Philippine government has stopped sending Filipino workers to Nigeria following hostilities and kidnappings of foreign nationals. Several groups have requested that Manila lift the deployment ban as the situation there continues to improve. –
Mark Joseph Ubalde, GMANews.TV
05/19/2009 | 04:10 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Two of the Filipino seafarers rescued last weekend from a hijacked oil tanker in Nigeria were hurt, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos Jr. said the injured were among the nine Filipino seamen — not just six as earlier reported — who were rescued from Niger militants who hijacked the MV Spirit on May 13.
The MV Spirit had a seven other crew members of different nationalities, the DFa said.
“Two of the nine rescued Filipino seafarers had slight injuries," Conejos said.
DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo had earlier dispatched Conejos to personally look into the condition and welfare of the Filipino seafarers on board the chartered oil tanker.
Quoting Nigerian army spokesperson Colonel Rabe Abubakar, the DFA reported that the latest operations brought the number of freed hostages to 13, including the nine Filipinos and four Nigerians.
“A consular team was sent to the city of Warri in Delta State where the hijacking took place, and the nine rescued Filipino sailors are expected to be turned over to the embassy’s custody shortly," Conejos added.
Conejos and. Alex Lamadrid, Charge d’Affaires of the Philippine Embassy in Abuja, had met and continue to communicate with the Nigerian foreign ministry and federal security officials for the safe and early release of the remaining Filipino seafarers in the custody of Nigerian militants, the DFA said.
After years of militant activity and lack of maintenance on crucial oil infrastructure, Nigeria produces about 1.6 million barrels of crude per day, or about one quarter less than its stated capacity
The Philippine government has stopped sending Filipino workers to Nigeria following hostilities and kidnappings of foreign nationals. Several groups have requested that Manila lift the deployment ban as the situation there continues to improve. –
Mark Joseph Ubalde, GMANews.TV
Monday, May 18, 2009
Requiescat Purisimo Alviar de Perlata in pace Domini
Amb. de Peralta
Date: Friday, May 15, 2009, 10:14 AM
Amb. de Peralta was once the Philippine Ambassador in Lagos. Please pray for his eternal repose.
ALEX V. LAMADRID
Charge d'Affaires, a.i.
Philippine Embassy
--- On Fri, 5/15/09, ambassadorguerrero@yahoo.com wrote:
Purisimo Alviar de Peralta--once an Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines--died at dawn on Thursday, 14 May 2009.
His remain lie in state at La Funeraria Paz, Manila Memorial Park, Sucat, Paranaque.
May God grant Puring his eternal rewards.
Jose Lino B Guerrero
Date: Friday, May 15, 2009, 10:14 AM
Amb. de Peralta was once the Philippine Ambassador in Lagos. Please pray for his eternal repose.
ALEX V. LAMADRID
Charge d'Affaires, a.i.
Philippine Embassy
--- On Fri, 5/15/09, ambassadorguerrero@yahoo.com
Purisimo Alviar de Peralta--once an Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines--died at dawn on Thursday, 14 May 2009.
His remain lie in state at La Funeraria Paz, Manila Memorial Park, Sucat, Paranaque.
May God grant Puring his eternal rewards.
Jose Lino B Guerrero
Monday, May 11, 2009
LADIES DAY AT ASCOT
Who says life in Abuja is dull? Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria is a safe and fun place for expatriates. Just a sample of an event, the FIRST of its kind, took place last Saturday 9th of May, 2009.
LADIES DAY AT ASCOT
The invitation reads as follows:
Bet you’ll have a good day out at
LADIES DAY AT ASCOT
A race for Charity will be happening on
Saturday 9th May 2009
From 5.00 pm onwards
Under the Marquee at
Abuja Horse Club Jabi Lake
Dress Code: Ladies – formal (with HAT!)
Gentlemen: Red Sea Rig
Racing, Live entertainment, Surprises… an evening of FUN! FUN! FUN!
And FUN IT WAS!!!
There were 14 ‘Horses’ at the ‘Stable’ – each table is assigned a horse to race namely:
Tables: Horses
1 Babblelute
2 Cadillac Jack
3 Daddy’s Dollars
4 Easy Rider
5 Excalibur
6 Gotta-Go
7 Huckle Berry
8 Jezzabelle
9 Scooby Dooby Doo
10 Misty Moon
11 Zippy Chippie
12 Xrated
13 Traveler’s Delight
14 Wild Eye
There was a heavy downpour in the morning. Looked gloomy. But knowing Abuja weather, the organizers weren’t worried a bit. True enough, the weather cleared in the early afternoon. An auspicious time for the celebration ahead.
The marquee was well-arranged. 7 tables in both sides with the ‘race course’ in the middle duly ‘fenced’ for the spectators to watch, to bet, to cheer and encourage their riders - 6 lanes for 6 riders for each race.
Each table has two bottles of red and two bottles of white wine and two bottles of water.
GDN Nig. Ltd. provided a free glass of Champagne.
The buffet style dinner was catered by Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
Ice cream has been generously donated by Bon Ice Cream.
By 5:00 pm, the ladies and gentlemen for the races arrived.
We are at Table 5. Excalibur is our ‘steed.’
The ceremonies began.
‘Bettors’ queued. ‘Bookers’ were busy explaining (although it was already announced) – a ticket costs 500Naira - 5 tickets bet for a single horse attracted N2000 (a free ticket discount). We joined the queue and betted for Excalibur.
The races started.. The jockeys readied themselves at the ‘start line.’ Complete with jackets and caps representing the colour of the ‘steed,’ our jockey, Stephan Euchenhofer is in Lane 2 for Excalibur.
The dice was rolled. Our ‘jockey’ whipped Excalibur and it moved 6 paces! Exhilarated, our voices rose shouting ‘encouragement’ . Other ‘bettors’ joined to encourage their ‘horses’ – o yeah… ‘tails wagging and heads bobbing,’ the horses ‘leaped’ and as the dice continued to roll, spectators became a little bit ‘frenzied’ – and laughter and voices rose – till the ‘steed’ in lane 1 reached the finish line!
I could have taken a picture of a ‘steed’ – unfortunately, it couldn’t stay still!
Let me just describe how a horse at this race look like:
…the head looks like a horse, complete with eyes, ears, nose and profile and a little mane, attached to a rod which is in turn attached to a broom – the type we use to sweep the ground! Got the picture?
A band played between races. Superb entertainment. Yeah, not a dull moment – what with Mr. Brij Bowry being the MC/ commentator of the event…
And the fun continued till past midnight. Food was superb. And ice cream, too. Champagne kept flowing.
The organizers announced (due to its success) may make this as a yearly event.
The beneficiary of this race for charity is the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent De Paul. at F.C.T. They run the Kubwa hospital and also undertake other social endeavors in Nigeria and throughout the world.
As Mme. Shirley Bowry predicted: ‘Ladies Day at Ascot will be an epic night of great memories!’
To the Organizers:
Ernie Dragoo, Shirley Bowry, Mary-Lou Herron and Lola Lundgren – BRAVO!!!
(many times over!)
A ‘Ladies Day At Ascot’ indeed!
Event organizers Mrs. Lola Lundgren and Mrs. Shirley Bowry
THE LADIES AT THE RACE
Maebs & Martina Kormos of JBN
'Godfather Daniel' at the 'race,' also of D & S
Vangee Novio of Dantata & Sawoe
Mrs. Billy Milic of the Swedish Embassy
...who says 'riding' & 'drinking' don't mix?...
...that must be our 'Excalibur!!!'
hi yah Lady...not even close... ride on...
Mr. & Mrs. Euchenhofer
don't be fooled...that very correct waiter is Daniel Hodapp in charge of the Logistics section of Dantata & Sawoe 'serving' Dr. Biermann also of D & S
...clowning it out...
The 'jockeys' preparing for the race
Marianne, eventually won that race and awarded the 'Best Hat'
Frank Boettscher
Two regal ladies at the Ascot with Vangie, Regina and Pauline
LADIES DAY AT ASCOT
The invitation reads as follows:
Bet you’ll have a good day out at
LADIES DAY AT ASCOT
A race for Charity will be happening on
Saturday 9th May 2009
From 5.00 pm onwards
Under the Marquee at
Abuja Horse Club Jabi Lake
Dress Code: Ladies – formal (with HAT!)
Gentlemen: Red Sea Rig
Racing, Live entertainment, Surprises… an evening of FUN! FUN! FUN!
And FUN IT WAS!!!
There were 14 ‘Horses’ at the ‘Stable’ – each table is assigned a horse to race namely:
Tables: Horses
1 Babblelute
2 Cadillac Jack
3 Daddy’s Dollars
4 Easy Rider
5 Excalibur
6 Gotta-Go
7 Huckle Berry
8 Jezzabelle
9 Scooby Dooby Doo
10 Misty Moon
11 Zippy Chippie
12 Xrated
13 Traveler’s Delight
14 Wild Eye
There was a heavy downpour in the morning. Looked gloomy. But knowing Abuja weather, the organizers weren’t worried a bit. True enough, the weather cleared in the early afternoon. An auspicious time for the celebration ahead.
The marquee was well-arranged. 7 tables in both sides with the ‘race course’ in the middle duly ‘fenced’ for the spectators to watch, to bet, to cheer and encourage their riders - 6 lanes for 6 riders for each race.
Each table has two bottles of red and two bottles of white wine and two bottles of water.
GDN Nig. Ltd. provided a free glass of Champagne.
The buffet style dinner was catered by Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
Ice cream has been generously donated by Bon Ice Cream.
By 5:00 pm, the ladies and gentlemen for the races arrived.
We are at Table 5. Excalibur is our ‘steed.’
The ceremonies began.
‘Bettors’ queued. ‘Bookers’ were busy explaining (although it was already announced) – a ticket costs 500Naira - 5 tickets bet for a single horse attracted N2000 (a free ticket discount). We joined the queue and betted for Excalibur.
The races started.. The jockeys readied themselves at the ‘start line.’ Complete with jackets and caps representing the colour of the ‘steed,’ our jockey, Stephan Euchenhofer is in Lane 2 for Excalibur.
The dice was rolled. Our ‘jockey’ whipped Excalibur and it moved 6 paces! Exhilarated, our voices rose shouting ‘encouragement’ . Other ‘bettors’ joined to encourage their ‘horses’ – o yeah… ‘tails wagging and heads bobbing,’ the horses ‘leaped’ and as the dice continued to roll, spectators became a little bit ‘frenzied’ – and laughter and voices rose – till the ‘steed’ in lane 1 reached the finish line!
I could have taken a picture of a ‘steed’ – unfortunately, it couldn’t stay still!
Let me just describe how a horse at this race look like:
…the head looks like a horse, complete with eyes, ears, nose and profile and a little mane, attached to a rod which is in turn attached to a broom – the type we use to sweep the ground! Got the picture?
A band played between races. Superb entertainment. Yeah, not a dull moment – what with Mr. Brij Bowry being the MC/ commentator of the event…
And the fun continued till past midnight. Food was superb. And ice cream, too. Champagne kept flowing.
The organizers announced (due to its success) may make this as a yearly event.
The beneficiary of this race for charity is the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent De Paul. at F.C.T. They run the Kubwa hospital and also undertake other social endeavors in Nigeria and throughout the world.
As Mme. Shirley Bowry predicted: ‘Ladies Day at Ascot will be an epic night of great memories!’
To the Organizers:
Ernie Dragoo, Shirley Bowry, Mary-Lou Herron and Lola Lundgren – BRAVO!!!
(many times over!)
A ‘Ladies Day At Ascot’ indeed!
Event organizers Mrs. Lola Lundgren and Mrs. Shirley Bowry
THE LADIES AT THE RACE
Maebs & Martina Kormos of JBN
'Godfather Daniel' at the 'race,' also of D & S
Vangee Novio of Dantata & Sawoe
Mrs. Billy Milic of the Swedish Embassy
...who says 'riding' & 'drinking' don't mix?...
...that must be our 'Excalibur!!!'
hi yah Lady...not even close... ride on...
Mr. & Mrs. Euchenhofer
don't be fooled...that very correct waiter is Daniel Hodapp in charge of the Logistics section of Dantata & Sawoe 'serving' Dr. Biermann also of D & S
...clowning it out...
The 'jockeys' preparing for the race
Marianne, eventually won that race and awarded the 'Best Hat'
Frank Boettscher
Two regal ladies at the Ascot with Vangie, Regina and Pauline
Saturday, May 9, 2009
TRIBUTE TO MOTHERS
MAY 10 - MOTHERS' DAY
"Grown don't mean nothing to a mother. A child is a child. They get bigger, older, but grown. In my heart it don't mean a thing."
- Toni Morrison (1931-), Nobel Prize-winning American author, editor,and professor.
A special day is set aside for MOTHERS.
The fact is - EVERY DAY IS MOTHERS' DAY!
For every OFW here in Nigeria - just a reminder:
Value your wife - the mother of your children. While it is true that you can change a wife at will, your children CAN NOT change a mother; as we ourselves can not change our mothers.
Your wife shapes the future of our country, via the children she rears in your absence. You are the breadwinner, your wife is the manager, the very heart of home and family. In her hands lie the safety and stability of your home, a safe haven when you retire - a place where you can reap the fruits of your labour in peace and contentment.
She's the best, she's the greatest, and she’s your Queen! She's the most important woman in the world.
A HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY !
And to the Mother of all - the Mother of Perpetual Help, may we all become her worthy children.
Friday, May 8, 2009
UN-to-RP-Ensure-rights-of-migrant-workers
By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 19:39:00 05/07/2009
UN to RP: Ensure rights of migrant workers
MANILA, Philippines—As one of the biggest sources of migrant workers in the world, the Philippines should step up initiatives to ensure the protection of the rights of its workers, an arm of the United Nations (UN) said in a report.
The UN Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (“UN MWC”) said that being a “global model” for migration, it expects the Philippine government to employ higher standards of protecting the human rights of its workers.
The Center for Migrant Advocacy Philippines (CMA) released the concluding observations of the UN body on the report of the Philippines’ implementation of the Migrant Worker Convention.
The Philippines submitted its report to the UN body, which considered it during a meeting on April 23 to 24, 2009 in Geneva, Switzerland.
“In its concluding observations, the UN MWC recognized the fact that the Philippines is mainly a sending country and that most country destinations of Filipino migrant workers are not yet signatories to the MWC,” the CMA said in a news release Thursday.
The Committee also noted that the archipelagic geography of the Philippines limits the government in its fight against trafficking and its efforts to protect the human rights of migrant workers, the group said.
The Concluding Observation of the UN MWC also noted that “abuse and exploitation of Filipino migrant workers continue despite the Philippine government’s efforts to protect the rights of Filipino migrant workers abroad.”
”Many cases are underreported, and that most vulnerable are the women migrants. The Committee recommended to the Philippine government to exert more effort in the protection of women's rights and in the enhancement of women empowerment,” CMA quoted the report as saying.
Expressing concern on the Philippine government’s policy of exporting labor, as contained in Administrative Order 247 and 248 which put premium on the promotion of foreign employment of migrant workers over the protection of their human rights, the UN MWC also “strongly urged the Philippine government to review its labor migration policy in order to give primary importance to the protection of human rights.”
The UN MWC also noted the following observations: (a) failure of the Philippine government to set up a reliable and quality statistical database on migrant workers; (b) insufficient information on the content, conduct, and assessment of the pre-departure orientation seminars;
(c) the limited and conditional trade union rights granted to migrant workers in the Philippines, which is a violation of the MWC; (d) the absence of information on the use and operation of the Legal Assistance Fund for migrant workers; (e) the weak campaign against illegal recruitment; and (f) the restrictions on voting rights of Filipino immigrants and permanent residents abroad.
Ellene Sana, CMA executive director, said she hopes the government would take action on the observations of the UN body. She also welcomed the UN’s recognition of the role of non-government organizations in assisting migrant workers.
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 19:39:00 05/07/2009
UN to RP: Ensure rights of migrant workers
MANILA, Philippines—As one of the biggest sources of migrant workers in the world, the Philippines should step up initiatives to ensure the protection of the rights of its workers, an arm of the United Nations (UN) said in a report.
The UN Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (“UN MWC”) said that being a “global model” for migration, it expects the Philippine government to employ higher standards of protecting the human rights of its workers.
The Center for Migrant Advocacy Philippines (CMA) released the concluding observations of the UN body on the report of the Philippines’ implementation of the Migrant Worker Convention.
The Philippines submitted its report to the UN body, which considered it during a meeting on April 23 to 24, 2009 in Geneva, Switzerland.
“In its concluding observations, the UN MWC recognized the fact that the Philippines is mainly a sending country and that most country destinations of Filipino migrant workers are not yet signatories to the MWC,” the CMA said in a news release Thursday.
The Committee also noted that the archipelagic geography of the Philippines limits the government in its fight against trafficking and its efforts to protect the human rights of migrant workers, the group said.
The Concluding Observation of the UN MWC also noted that “abuse and exploitation of Filipino migrant workers continue despite the Philippine government’s efforts to protect the rights of Filipino migrant workers abroad.”
”Many cases are underreported, and that most vulnerable are the women migrants. The Committee recommended to the Philippine government to exert more effort in the protection of women's rights and in the enhancement of women empowerment,” CMA quoted the report as saying.
Expressing concern on the Philippine government’s policy of exporting labor, as contained in Administrative Order 247 and 248 which put premium on the promotion of foreign employment of migrant workers over the protection of their human rights, the UN MWC also “strongly urged the Philippine government to review its labor migration policy in order to give primary importance to the protection of human rights.”
The UN MWC also noted the following observations: (a) failure of the Philippine government to set up a reliable and quality statistical database on migrant workers; (b) insufficient information on the content, conduct, and assessment of the pre-departure orientation seminars;
(c) the limited and conditional trade union rights granted to migrant workers in the Philippines, which is a violation of the MWC; (d) the absence of information on the use and operation of the Legal Assistance Fund for migrant workers; (e) the weak campaign against illegal recruitment; and (f) the restrictions on voting rights of Filipino immigrants and permanent residents abroad.
Ellene Sana, CMA executive director, said she hopes the government would take action on the observations of the UN body. She also welcomed the UN’s recognition of the role of non-government organizations in assisting migrant workers.
Monday, May 4, 2009
THE PASSING OF AN OFW
OBITUARY
The passing of an OFW
Mr. Bill T. Lizaso arrived in Kano, Nigeria in 1978. He has worked in various companies and then finally settled in Lagos where he stayed for many years. Then he moved to Port Harcourt where he worked with NESTOIL LTD.
He succumbed to cardiac arrest in Port Harcourt on April 30 at the age of 57.
He is survived by wife Marilou.
May his soul rest in peace. Amen
Filipinos who knew him are requested to pray for his soul.
Anybody who would like to send financial assistance may do so. You can send via the pillar of your community or direct to Port Harcourt ( Jun & Cora Lizaso)
The passing of an OFW
Mr. Bill T. Lizaso arrived in Kano, Nigeria in 1978. He has worked in various companies and then finally settled in Lagos where he stayed for many years. Then he moved to Port Harcourt where he worked with NESTOIL LTD.
He succumbed to cardiac arrest in Port Harcourt on April 30 at the age of 57.
He is survived by wife Marilou.
May his soul rest in peace. Amen
Filipinos who knew him are requested to pray for his soul.
Anybody who would like to send financial assistance may do so. You can send via the pillar of your community or direct to Port Harcourt ( Jun & Cora Lizaso)
3 rescued from Ilongga’s Bar in Ivory Coast
Request to Rescue 3 Filipinas
An urgent request to please rescue 4 Filipinas in Ivory Coast was received on Monday, April 6, 2009 10:05:27 PM from the CMA Director Ellene Sana. According to her, one of the distressed Filipinas is a daughter of an MNLF commander in General Santos city ACE WENDY JUTAR -- she and the 3 others were confined in a place. They have been denied food since March 27 because they refused to work in the bar. They were directly recruited from the Philippines.
She further said that she received an SMS from Wendy that she cannot endure her situation for long. Her stomach is painful because of food deprivation and she may just try to jump off from the building where they are kept.
She requested Pusong Pinoy to please convey the message to the ambassador there and “to do something about the situation - we need to rescue the women! asap! “
she further gave the following information:
Wendy may be contacted by sms or phone call:
Her Phil. roaming number: +63 929 210 2997
Africa number: +22 566 94409
And also sent this message to the Philippine Embassy:
dear cda alex la madrid:
we write to request urgent help to rescue 4 filipino women in distress in ivory coast.
one of the women is ACE WENDY JUTAR, daughter of Ricardo Grijaldo aka Commander Kidlat of MNLF from Panabo, Davao del Norte.
wendy was illegally recruited to work as a saleslady in a hardware store in treuchiville, ivory coast. when she arrived there on march 27, she was told that she would be working in a night club together with 3 other filipino women. she refused. because of that, the employer locked her up without food to date. she could be contacted discretely. she has a cellphone and a knife.
her latest text message to her mother, ms. mila jutar, who flew in to manila yesterday, was that she is very very hungry and if she is not rescued ASAP she mihght just try to jump off from the building where she is kept.
her address: neomi carnaje shen 01 BP 1619
abidjan 01, treichville, ivory coast.
she is kept onthe second floor. on the first floor, there is a sign ilonga bar.
her secret phone numbers:
roaming: +63 929 210 2997
west african number: +22 566 94409.
one other woman there who's identity has been disclosed to us is geraldine medina.
please respond asap!
we sent an sms to usec conejos yesterday and we did not get any response yet. may be he is still in geneva....but this is quite urgent so please come to the rescue of wendy and the other girls.
thank you.
sincerely yours,
ellene a. sana
executive director
Center for Migrant Advocacy Philippines*
72-C Matahimik Street, Teachers’ Village
Quezon City, Philippines
Email: cma@tri-isys.com
URL: www.pinoy-abroad.net
url2: www.japan.pinoy-abroad.net
This request was immediately acted upon by Consul-General Alex Lamadrid and sent Doy Abrillo.
3 rescued from Ilongga’s Bar in Ivory Coast By Annelle Tayao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:01:00 05/03/2009
Filed Under: Overseas Employment, Migration, Prostitution
Most Read
THIS young woman from General Santos City saw a great opportunity when she was offered a three-month job as a cashier/waitress in Europe for a whopping P150,000 a month.
However, opportunity soon turned into nightmare as she found herself not in Europe, but in a dark, dingy club called Ilongga’s Bar in Ivory Coast, Africa, where she and three other girls were forced to dress with barely any skin cover and “entertain” the club’s customers—seamen they were also forced to pick up from a nearby port.
“At first, I did what I was told,” said the victim in a phone interview. “I thought meeting new people might be useful to me later.”
When that proved useless, she decided to take matters into her own hands. She asked her employer, a Filipino woman from Iloilo married to a Chinese, to release her and her companions’ passports.
When the employer refused, the strong-willed 27-year-old also refused to follow any more orders.
“They locked me up inside the room. They refused to give me food,” said the victim whose father, incidentally, is a former commander of the Moro National Liberation Front.
The three-month stint was supposed to have been an exciting adventure for the victim and her friend, who had told her about the job in the first place.
“My friend was looking for company. That’s why I agreed to go,” she said.
“After all, the supposed job was good. I could save for future investments.”
Sex with 60 different men
The offer came from two recruiters, who introduced themselves as siblings Marisol and Arnold Granada. They took care of the passports, visas, and all other requirements the victim and her friend needed, and only met with them twice. No agency was involved. And no payment either.
Adding to the shady transaction was the escort who met with the victim, her friend and the two other girls at the airport.
“She was wearing a hat, covering her face,” said the victim. “She told us to sit beside her.”
The escort proceeded to give the ladies detailed instructions on where to line up and which immigration officer to approach, so that “no questions would be asked.”
In Africa, where the four women arrived March 28, a certain Noemi Carnaje Shen, whom they later found out to be the owner of the club, hurriedly escorted them out of the airport and into a van. “She simply asked, ‘Are you the women they sent here?’” said the victim.
They were then brought straight to a small, dark room in the club, where Shen explained the girls’ official job description. “We were told we would have sex with 60 different men. We were told we would work for her for two years,” said the victim.
According to Shen, the four women were already “paid for”—$6,000 each—and had to pay off the money which Shen had given to the recruiters and an immigration officer.
Mother contacts Inquirer
Within a week, after the victim’s personal rebellion which led to her eventual starvation and lock-up, she decided to finally cry out for help 11,000 kilometers away—in General Santos to her mother.
In a text message sent April 3, the victim relayed her and her companions’ situation to her mother. And just like her daughter, the quick-thinking 47-year-old sought the help of friend Julie Manero, who sent word to the Inquirer, which then contacted Ellene Sana, executive director of the Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA).
“The victim’s mother and the husband of one of her companions eventually came here to our office,” said CMA case officer Anna Navarro. “We then drafted a letter to the Philippine embassy in Nigeria, the closest one where the victim was being held.”
The CMA also assisted the victim’s mother contact the Department of Foreign Affairs, which took immediate action by keeping in constant communication with the victim through her cell phone.
The Philippines embassy in Nigeria also promptly responded to the letter, and soon informed the victim’s mother that they, too, were able to contact the victim. Doy Abrillo, administrative officer of the embassy, personally went to fetch the victim from the club where she was being held.
The victim’s employer, however, did not give her up without a fight.
The employer also refused to release the women’s passports. “According to Mr. Abrillo, the embassy had to pay $300 so that the employer would release the women,” Navarro said.
By April 15, three of the four women were already in the Philippine embassy’s care. The fourth chose to stay behind because she needs money to send back home. She will later try to look for another job. The three finally came home on April 19.
“If you really want to work abroad,” said the victim, “check the agency with the POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration). Moderate your greed. If the offer is too big, chances are, it’s not true.”
An urgent request to please rescue 4 Filipinas in Ivory Coast was received on Monday, April 6, 2009 10:05:27 PM from the CMA Director Ellene Sana. According to her, one of the distressed Filipinas is a daughter of an MNLF commander in General Santos city ACE WENDY JUTAR -- she and the 3 others were confined in a place. They have been denied food since March 27 because they refused to work in the bar. They were directly recruited from the Philippines.
She further said that she received an SMS from Wendy that she cannot endure her situation for long. Her stomach is painful because of food deprivation and she may just try to jump off from the building where they are kept.
She requested Pusong Pinoy to please convey the message to the ambassador there and “to do something about the situation - we need to rescue the women! asap! “
she further gave the following information:
Wendy may be contacted by sms or phone call:
Her Phil. roaming number: +63 929 210 2997
Africa number: +22 566 94409
And also sent this message to the Philippine Embassy:
dear cda alex la madrid:
we write to request urgent help to rescue 4 filipino women in distress in ivory coast.
one of the women is ACE WENDY JUTAR, daughter of Ricardo Grijaldo aka Commander Kidlat of MNLF from Panabo, Davao del Norte.
wendy was illegally recruited to work as a saleslady in a hardware store in treuchiville, ivory coast. when she arrived there on march 27, she was told that she would be working in a night club together with 3 other filipino women. she refused. because of that, the employer locked her up without food to date. she could be contacted discretely. she has a cellphone and a knife.
her latest text message to her mother, ms. mila jutar, who flew in to manila yesterday, was that she is very very hungry and if she is not rescued ASAP she mihght just try to jump off from the building where she is kept.
her address: neomi carnaje shen 01 BP 1619
abidjan 01, treichville, ivory coast.
she is kept onthe second floor. on the first floor, there is a sign ilonga bar.
her secret phone numbers:
roaming: +63 929 210 2997
west african number: +22 566 94409.
one other woman there who's identity has been disclosed to us is geraldine medina.
please respond asap!
we sent an sms to usec conejos yesterday and we did not get any response yet. may be he is still in geneva....but this is quite urgent so please come to the rescue of wendy and the other girls.
thank you.
sincerely yours,
ellene a. sana
executive director
Center for Migrant Advocacy Philippines*
72-C Matahimik Street, Teachers’ Village
Quezon City, Philippines
Email: cma@tri-isys.com
URL: www.pinoy-abroad.net
url2: www.japan.pinoy-abroad.net
This request was immediately acted upon by Consul-General Alex Lamadrid and sent Doy Abrillo.
3 rescued from Ilongga’s Bar in Ivory Coast By Annelle Tayao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:01:00 05/03/2009
Filed Under: Overseas Employment, Migration, Prostitution
Most Read
THIS young woman from General Santos City saw a great opportunity when she was offered a three-month job as a cashier/waitress in Europe for a whopping P150,000 a month.
However, opportunity soon turned into nightmare as she found herself not in Europe, but in a dark, dingy club called Ilongga’s Bar in Ivory Coast, Africa, where she and three other girls were forced to dress with barely any skin cover and “entertain” the club’s customers—seamen they were also forced to pick up from a nearby port.
“At first, I did what I was told,” said the victim in a phone interview. “I thought meeting new people might be useful to me later.”
When that proved useless, she decided to take matters into her own hands. She asked her employer, a Filipino woman from Iloilo married to a Chinese, to release her and her companions’ passports.
When the employer refused, the strong-willed 27-year-old also refused to follow any more orders.
“They locked me up inside the room. They refused to give me food,” said the victim whose father, incidentally, is a former commander of the Moro National Liberation Front.
The three-month stint was supposed to have been an exciting adventure for the victim and her friend, who had told her about the job in the first place.
“My friend was looking for company. That’s why I agreed to go,” she said.
“After all, the supposed job was good. I could save for future investments.”
Sex with 60 different men
The offer came from two recruiters, who introduced themselves as siblings Marisol and Arnold Granada. They took care of the passports, visas, and all other requirements the victim and her friend needed, and only met with them twice. No agency was involved. And no payment either.
Adding to the shady transaction was the escort who met with the victim, her friend and the two other girls at the airport.
“She was wearing a hat, covering her face,” said the victim. “She told us to sit beside her.”
The escort proceeded to give the ladies detailed instructions on where to line up and which immigration officer to approach, so that “no questions would be asked.”
In Africa, where the four women arrived March 28, a certain Noemi Carnaje Shen, whom they later found out to be the owner of the club, hurriedly escorted them out of the airport and into a van. “She simply asked, ‘Are you the women they sent here?’” said the victim.
They were then brought straight to a small, dark room in the club, where Shen explained the girls’ official job description. “We were told we would have sex with 60 different men. We were told we would work for her for two years,” said the victim.
According to Shen, the four women were already “paid for”—$6,000 each—and had to pay off the money which Shen had given to the recruiters and an immigration officer.
Mother contacts Inquirer
Within a week, after the victim’s personal rebellion which led to her eventual starvation and lock-up, she decided to finally cry out for help 11,000 kilometers away—in General Santos to her mother.
In a text message sent April 3, the victim relayed her and her companions’ situation to her mother. And just like her daughter, the quick-thinking 47-year-old sought the help of friend Julie Manero, who sent word to the Inquirer, which then contacted Ellene Sana, executive director of the Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA).
“The victim’s mother and the husband of one of her companions eventually came here to our office,” said CMA case officer Anna Navarro. “We then drafted a letter to the Philippine embassy in Nigeria, the closest one where the victim was being held.”
The CMA also assisted the victim’s mother contact the Department of Foreign Affairs, which took immediate action by keeping in constant communication with the victim through her cell phone.
The Philippines embassy in Nigeria also promptly responded to the letter, and soon informed the victim’s mother that they, too, were able to contact the victim. Doy Abrillo, administrative officer of the embassy, personally went to fetch the victim from the club where she was being held.
The victim’s employer, however, did not give her up without a fight.
The employer also refused to release the women’s passports. “According to Mr. Abrillo, the embassy had to pay $300 so that the employer would release the women,” Navarro said.
By April 15, three of the four women were already in the Philippine embassy’s care. The fourth chose to stay behind because she needs money to send back home. She will later try to look for another job. The three finally came home on April 19.
“If you really want to work abroad,” said the victim, “check the agency with the POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration). Moderate your greed. If the offer is too big, chances are, it’s not true.”
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