25 November 2004 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo announced today the arrival of Angelito Nayan from Dubai at around 8 o’clock in the evening.

Team Nayan led by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Jose S. Brillantes will accompany Angelito on the flight home.    The other members of  Team Nayan are Philippine Non-resident Ambassador to Kabul Jorge Arizabal; Undersecretary Mike Reyes, Office of the Communications Director, OP; Mr. Generoso  Calonge, Philippine Consul General, United Arab Emirates; Mr. Wilfredo Cuyugan, former CDA, Philippine Embassy, Islamabad; and Ms. Agnes Cervantes, Consul, Philippine Embassy, Islamabad.  Except for Ambassador Arizabal, the members of Team Nayan will join Undersecretary Brillantes on the flight to Manila.

In announcing the arrival plans for Angelito, Secretary Romulo also relayed the family’s desire for the media to respect their private moments with Angelito.  “There is a strong consensus within the family that Angelito may not be physically and emotionally prepared to handled prolonged and intensive media exposure considering the trauma that he had to undergo in the hands of his abductors,”  Secretary Romulo stressed.

The Secretary gave the following details on the DFA’s arrival plans for Angelito Nayan:

1.) Upon arrival, Angelito Nayan and the members of TEAM Nayan will be brought directly and immediately to Malacanang for private reunion with members of his family.  Angelito’s family will be waiting at the Office of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita also known as the Presidential Guest House inside the Palace compound.

2.) Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Jose S. Brillantes will then accompany the entire Nayan family for the brief walk from the Guest House to Heroes’ Hall inside Malacanang Palace where they will wait for the President to arrive.  Members of the media will be given full coverage of Angelito’s meeting with the President at Heroes’ Hall.

3.) The President is expected to greet and meet with Angelito Nayan and family as well as the members of the TEAM Nayan.

Meanwhile, Secretary Romulo hosted a breakfast meeting with the Nayan family at  7:30 a.m. at the DFA to congratulate the family members for the safe release of Angelito and to thank them for their trust and cooperation in the efforts of the Government to secure the freedom of their brother.  OWWA Administrator Nito Roque joined Secretary Romulo during the meeting with the Nayan family.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Grace Nayan thanked President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Secretary Romulo, Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, the Philippine Government and the Filipinos for their great efforts and prayers that led to the safe release of Angelito.   Grace said that the release of Angelito and his 2 other co-UN workers by their abductors reinforces her belief that Angelito was meant “to serve other people….his life was for serving others..”     Grace also informed the Secretary that at the time of the abduction of Angelito and his 2 co-UN workers on 28 October 2004, Angelito was already appointed Office-in-Charge of the election monitoring team in Afghanistan.     Grace also informed the Secretary that in her telephone conversation with Angelito, his brother feared that during the entire period of their abduction, each day was their last.   She added that Angelito’s faith in The Almighty and his fervent prayers made it possible for them to regain their freedom from the abductors.

Joining Grace during the meeting and breakfast were rest of the Nayan family, namely, Ernesto, Benjamin, Jr.; Bernard, Hanna Nicole, Anchi, Ruby, Alyenn Marie, Marc and Ruben. END
 
 
 

* related photo releases: ph1, ph2