Pinoy engineer abducted by Libyan rebels escapes — DFA

UPDATED 10:30 a.m. - A Filipino engineer reportedly abducted by rebel forces in Libya escaped from his captors and is now safe, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Wednesday. DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said the engineer, whose name is withheld, is now staying at the house of his friend in Tripoli. “Hindi natin dini-disclose ang identity, ‘yan ang request ng family. Pero ang magandang balita nakatakas siya kahapon at ngayon he’s safe and sound and he’s staying in the house of a friend in Tripoli," Hernandez said in an interview on dzBB radio before dawn Wednesday. (We cannot disclose his name at his family’s request. But the good news is that he escaped his abductors and is safe. He is now staying at the house of a friend in Tripoli.) Hernandez also mentioned this in an interview with GMA News’ Arnold Clavio on “Unang Hirit." Citing details of a phone conversation he had with the engineer’s wife based in the Philippines, Hernandez said a group of rebels abducted the engineer. At the time, he said the rebels had broken into and ransacked a housing unit in Tripoli, owned by the engineer’s employers. “[But] last night we received a call, we were able to talk to the wife, sabi nakatakas ang kanyang asawa (who said her husband managed to escape)," he said. Isolated case The engineer is among the 1,600 Filipinos stranded in Tripoli and its neighboring suburbs. More than 26,000 Filipinos were in Libya at the outbreak of hostilities six months ago. So far, Hernandez said there have been no reports of other Filipinos being abducted, killed, or injured in the fighting that had intensified in past days in Libya. “So far isolated naman ito. We hope this will remain isolated," Hernandez said. On Tuesday, Hernandez said armed men took the vehicles of an International Organization of Migration (IOM) representative and the Philippine labor attaché. Forces still loyal to Libyan long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi staged a desperate stand in Tripoli as rebels fought their way into the capital, according to a report on Reuters. Rebels have urged Gaddafi, 69, to surrender and to have an orderly transition of power. Reuters said the six-month-old battle for control of the oil-rich North African nation appeared to enter its final stages. “Rebels say they are now in control of most of Tripoli," it said. IOM’s chartered vessel Amid the renewed threat of fighting and violence in Libya, Philippine officials and the IOM are mapping out safe routes for Filipinos wishing to be repatriated. “Pinagaaralan din yan ng ating embahada at IOM. Kung aalis na yan at may bakbakan at sagupaan sa lansangan ng Tripoli, baka delikado ang kaligtasan ng ating kababayan," DFA’s Hernandez said. He said the inter-governmental agency had arranged for its chartered ship to wait for the foreign repatriates, including Filpinos, at the port of Tripoli. From Tripoli, the IOM-chartered vessel is to bring the foreign nationals to Alexandria in Egypt. From there, he said the Filipinos can take a flight to Manila. So far, Hernandez said at least 91 Filipinos have signified interest in repatriation, even as the Philippines has secured 400 seats in the IOM-chartered vessel. However, he said many of some 1,600 Filipinos still in Libya do not want to leave. He said most of them are medical workers who are “faithful to their vocation." Financial aid The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has reassured overseas Filipino workers to be repatriated from violence-plagued Libya — and Syria — of assistance programs for them upon their return. According to OWWA administrator Carmelita Dimzon, P10,000 will be available to every documented or undocumented OFW, so they can start a small business immediately. Dimzon said the government has also readied a loan assistance program, with loans ranging from P300,000 to P2 million, to documented OFWs who wish to start a business. — with Jesse Edep, RSJ/LBG/VVP, GMA News