08 November 2004—The Nayan family would like to thank everyone for the unceasing prayers, love and support for our brother, Angelito and the rest of our family.

We would also like to thank President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas, UN Resident Coordinator Ms. Deborah Landey, Mr. Kyo Naka of UNDP and the TEAM NAYAN that is now based in Kabul, Afghanistan led by Undersecretaries Jose Brillantes and Mike Reyes for their extraordinary concern and sincere efforts to save our brother.

There are so many people to thank: Senator Manny Villar, Mr. Ben Casimiro, Imelda Aguilar, our parish monsignor, Monsignor Venus, Nicole Daniel, the president of our homeowners’ association, all our neighbors, Angelito’s friends at the DFA, in PBSP, his batch mates in UP, his professors and classmates in Adamson University, all our relatives and friends and even people whom we do not know yet continue to pray for Angelito’s safety.

We also thank Ambassador Ryuichiro of Japan for his letter of sympathy to our family. He remembers Angelito as a Japanese scholar at Sofia University.

Your response to our grief is overwhelming.  My family and I derive our strength from your prayers.

My family and I would like to reiterate our appeal to my brother’s abductors to please spare his life and let him return to the Philippines. The Filipino people wish nothing but the best for the people of Afghanistan.  We have never been involved in your internal conflicts. In fact, our government does not even have an embassy or consulate in your country. My brother, Angelito, went to help the people of Afghanistan as a volunteer - not to side with any political faction or for any vested interest.   He went to your country with the purest of intentions.  Please, we beg you, please set him free.

We would also like to appeal to some sectors of our society here in the Philippines to please refrain from using my brother’s abduction to advance your cause.

We assure everyone that our family receives regular updates from the DFA and the United Nations about the progress of talks in Afghanistan.

My brother’s life hangs in the balance. We pray and appeal for solidarity in this time of crisis.

Our family believes in the saying that “this too shall pass.” That God never sleeps. That He will find a way for us to be soon reunited with Angelito.

Meanwhile, during the agonizing wait, we thank everyone most sincerely for your prayers, the nightly vigils and words of encouragement and support.

Thank you and God bless us all. END