Roberto Tarongoy appeared on al-Jazeera March 7 in an orange jumpsuit at which time his hostage takers said he will be executed by Friday if their demands are not met.
President Arroyo of the Philippines is reported by a source in the Department of Foreign Affairs to be offering a $6 million ransom payment to the terrorists holding Roberto Tarongoy hostage. Tarongoy was taken hostage November 1, 2004 along with American Roy Hallums. In July 2004 the Philippine government reportedly paid $6 million for hostage Angelo De La Cruz. Of the $6 million for De La Cruz, $5 million is said to have come from Libya and $1 million from the Land Bank of the Philippines.
Obviously the Philippines has not learned their lesson from the first payoff as it has only led to further hostage taking of Filipino's. The terrorist group holding Tarongoy, Jeish al-Mujahideen, are said to have demanded a $10 million ransom and that the 6,500 Filipinos working in Iraq leave and the Philippines end its military cooperation with the United States.
The Daily Tribune of the Philippines
It was not known whether President Arroyo will again be tapping Libya for the ransom money, although the source pointed out it is likely for her to seek the help of Saudi Arabia in raising the funds, as Mrs. Arroyo was reported to have done the Saudi government a “big favor” by ordering the release from immigration detention of suspected al-Qaeda financier, Mohammed al-Sughayir.
Al-Sughayir, said to be a prime catch, was reportedly ordered released by Mrs. Arroyo sometime in January upon the “request” of the Saudi Ambassador to Manila, who was with her on board the presidential aircraft bound for Davao.
...
"How we are moving now is just like what I was doing with Angelo de la Cruz. We are making contacts already," a transcript of [Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis'] interview obtained also yesterday disclosed.
...
Seguis said the Philippine government is trying to convince the kidnappers that their demands are being met.
"Because they are demanding something, we're just giving them what they want. What I will do is convince them that their demands are being met (as evidenced) by the statement of the Secretary (Alberto Romulo)," he added.
Well I demand you stop paying ransoms! Now give me what I want!
For more coverage on Diggers Realm see the Roberto Tarongoy Archives, Roy Hallums Archives and Hostage Archives.
Tipped by: Michelle Malkin
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