PRESS RELEASE
Department
of Foreign Affairs
2330 Roxas
Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines
*
Tel. No. 834-4000
* www.dfa.gov.ph
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No. 295; 16 June 2003
CARPENTERO
BROTHERS RELEASED
The Department of Foreign Affairs today received word from the Philippine
Embassy in Abuja that Filipinos Renato and Julito Carpentero have been released
by their captors over the weekend. The Carpenteros were released in
Pubaken, Maryland County, in Liberia, together with other workers from Lebanon
who were also held hostage by an armed rebel group.
The brothers are now at the town of San Pedro in the Ivory Coast together
with their respective wives, both of whom are from Liberia.
Philippine Consular teams have already been dispatched by the Embassy to
monitor the situation and extend assistance to the Carpentero brothers and
to other Filipinos in Monrovia and environs who may also need their help.
Ces Carpentero, sister-in-law of Renato and Julito, wrote to the Philippine
Embassy to thank the Philippine Government for the assistance it extended
to ensure the prompt and safe release of her brothers-in-law.
On behalf of the family, Mrs. Carpentero, who is married to another brother
of Renato and Julito, expressed their deepest thanks to the Philippine Government
which had a major role in the hostages' release.
Meanwhile, Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria Masaranga R. Umpa, whose area
of responsibility includes Liberia, reported that is in touch with the French
Ambassador in Abuja, Nigeria, and was told that the French Embassy in Monrovia,
the Liberian capital, remains open and has in its staff a humanitarian attaché.
As in crises past, the French have kindly offered their assistance to the
Philippine consular teams and Filipino evacuees should they need it.