Philippine Embassy, abuja monitoring efforts of nigerian authorities
 AND EMPLOYER to release 2 abducted filipinos 

22 June 2006 — Philippine Ambassador to Abuja, Nigeria Masaranga R. Umpa reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that a Consular Team composed of Vice Consul Randy B. Arquiza and Assistance-to-National Officer Camalodin P. Manggis is now in Port Harcourt in southern Nigeria to monitor on the ground the efforts of Nigerian authorities and the employer-company to seek the  release of two Filipinos who were abducted on 21 June 2006. 

Ambassador Umpa said that the Filipinos were being held by gunmen who stormed a jetty at Aker Base, Rumuolumeni, in the Inkwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State in the Niger Delta.  The Ambassador said, “The motive for the abduction is still unknown.  Information gathered so far state that the Filipinos were carrying out a routine check on one of their vessels when they were attacked.”  

Ambassador Umpa likewise stated that the Embassy has already coordinated with the manning agency in the Philippines and the main employer of the OFWs in Nigeria,  Petroleum Geo Services (PGS), on the actions being taken to seek the release of the Filipinos.  The DFA Action Center has communicated with the Philippine manning agent who said  the PGS has already informed the OFWs’ next-of-kin in the Philippines about the incident.    

Meanwhile, the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs, DFA and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, DOLE have also been in contact with the next-of-kin.   

PGS has requested that the names of the OFWs not be disclosed in the meantime as they work for the release of the OFWs and to respect the privacy of the families during this difficult time.   The Department is respecting this request for privacy.  

Ambassador Umpa informed the Department that there have been several abductions of foreign workers in Nigeria this year but all have been released after negotiations with the abductors.  The most recent Filipino who was abducted in Nigeria was Anthony Santos, who was released on 2 March 2006 after eighteen days of captivity in the Niger Delta. (Please refer to Press Release SFA-AGR-089-06 dated 20 February 2006; SFA-AGR-149-06 dated 2 March 2006; and SFA-AGR-152-06 dated 3 March 2006,  for the background information.) 

Ambassador Umpa assured the Department that the Embassy and the Consular Team in Port Harcourt will continue monitoring the situation and report to the Department any new developments.  

The Niger Delta is an area of 70,000 square kilometer or 27,000 square miles of swampland and mangrove forest.   It is the site of Africa’s biggest oil industry and the home of about 14 million Ijaw tribe. END