DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
P R E S S  R E L E A S E
www.dfa.gov.ph                                                                                           2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines                                                                                 Tel. No. 834-4000 
SFA-AGR-089-06                                                                                                                                                                                                                             16 February 2006

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY, ABUJA REPORTS FILIPINO HOSTAGE IN NIGERIA IN GOOD HEALTH AND TREATED WELL BY CAPTORS,
COORDINATES WITH EMPLOYER ON RESCUE EFFORTS

20 February 2006 – Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Esteban B. Conejos, Jr., reported to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo that the Filipino and eight other expatriates who were captured early on 18 February 2006 by armed militants from a barge in the Niger Delta “are all in good health and are being treated well by their captors.”

Quoting reports from Philippine Ambassador to Abuja, Nigeria, Masaranga R. Umpa, Undersecretary Conejos said that the nine foreign oil workers – one Filipino, three Americans, two Egyptians, two Thais and a Briton – were on a pipe-laying barge in Nigeria’s Niger Delta when they were attacked at around 5:00 a.m. on 18 February 2006 by several speed boats after a militant commander declared “total war” on all foreign oil interests in the Delta.  Two soldiers from Nigeria’s military force, tasked to protect oil workers in the Delta, were reportedly injured in the attack.

Ambassador Umpa also reported that the Embassy immediately coordinated with the United States Embassy in Nigeria, barge operator Willbros Group, and other concerned authorities on the efforts to release the hostages.   Ambassador Umpa said that as of 5:00 p.m. (local time) on 19 February 2006, Willbros relayed the information that the nine hostages “are all in good health and are treated well by their captors.”

The Ambassador stated that a meeting is scheduled on 20 February 2006 between main contractor Shell Petroleum Development Corporation and security consultants to discuss the possible negotiation for the release of the hostages.

Undersecretary Conejos then directed case officers from the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) to immediately inform the OFW’s next-of-kin in the Philippines of the latest developments in the case and provide them with necessary assistance should they need any.

The Department is withholding the name of the male OFW due to the ongoing negotiations for the release of the hostages and to respect the right to privacy of the family of the OFW.  END
 
 

/jay