After turning off the lights during the Earth Day, Bulan Observer will now turn on additional lights to signal our solidarity with and help save the lives of the kidnapped International Committee on the Red Cross (ICRC) workers in Jolo, one of them being threatened to be beheaded on the 31th of March should the government forces do not pull out : They are the Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba, Swiss national Andreas Notter, and Eugenio Vagni, an Italian.
We appeal to the Abbu Sayyaf group to show their side with Kabutihang Loob (good naturedness) to the World Community and release these humanitarian workers whose main purpose is to help the needy without regards to race, color, religion and political affiliations. Kami po ay nakikingutang ng loob na pakawalan nyo po sila at huwag po silang sasaktan.
We choose the moon which is maybe the last neutral thing we could use to remind us all of the beauty when the day is over and darkness begins to fall and how it provides us with light and payapang kalooban (inner peace). The moon is also called Bulan among our Muslim brothers in Mindanao, Indonesia and Malaysia. Let Bulan connect us altogether to the kagandahang loob (noble mindedness and generosity) that is in each one of us.
We all would be happy to welcome back Mary Jean, Andreas and Eugenio so that they could resume helping our people in need. Please help them and release them.
And this will be daylight again!
jun asuncion
Bulan Observer
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Bulan Observer 
in today’s headlines:
“kidnappers are set to execute one of the three hostages today.”
this is shocking and outrageous!
Let’s hope and pray that both the government and the kidnappers (as well as negotiator/s) will resolve this problem peacefully and come up with a win-win solution to save the lives of the hostages….
in yesterday’s news:
“The kidnappers announced that they would execute one of their hostages at 2 p.m. Tuesday, (that is, today) unless the military pulled out from Jolo Island, a demand Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno described as impossible to carry out.”
“They know what will happen, that is why they don’t want to eat. They are silent, sometimes they would cry,” said a caller, who identified himself as Albader Parad, the Abu Sayyaf leader, to radio talk show host Arlyn dela Cruz in Manila.”
“Their hands and feet are tied,” Parad said. “They’re in one place.”
I hope and pray that no one will be hurt….
may awa ang diyos..
Huwag naman po ninyong sasaktan ang mga hostages. Wala po silang kasalanan. Nandiyan sila dahil sa kanilang kagandahang loob para tulungan ang mga naghihirap na kababayan natin. Walang mapapala sa pagsinaktan ang mga hostage kundi pagaalangnin sa inyong layoning pangpolitiko at adhikain na makamit ninyo ang tagumpay sa ganitong paraan. Pakiusap lang po alang-alang sa mga hostages at pamilya nila na sa ngayon ay nagdurusa. Pakawalan na po ninyo ang mga hostage. Salamat po.
Dora
I’ve been following the developments of this hostage crisis. It seems that no killing had occured after the ultimatum, a temporary relief for all of us and especially for the families of the hostages. But fate still hangs. In a situation like this, we can only continue to hope for the occurence of chain of events that could be beneficial to the hostages and for this whole crisis. As with the rest, we sincerely hope for a happy end by the next sunrise.
i don’t know why the government has not acted swiftly on this latest tragedy and humiliation. we are in this similar situations for a long long time and yet the authorities has not able to formulate and put together an effective plans and countermeasures to prevent such things from happening again. we should have been the “expert” (nakakahiya!!!) and the experienced because we are the only country repeatedly experiencing such incidents, and should have developed a capability to mitigate and deal with it effectively should it happen again. they’ve waited and let the kidnappers hold the hostages for over 3 months now and it is very imminent that we are approaching a very bloody end game situation again. what’s the use of VFA??? why don’t they fully maximize the accord to the benefit of our country. anyway the presence of the mighty American military is already in Minadanao. why don’t we utilize them if our military can not do it. let the American soldiers do it and let them suffer for any casualties. this way we can get even with the American military abuses and silence the critics of the agreement at the same time. let’s admit it, we are not capable of doing it!!!
i know this is a very, very radical thought and for sure will solicit negative reactions. but it’s only my opinion… regards…
It’s daylight again forMary Jean Lacaba! Good work for the people behind. We can only hope that things would work out well for Andreas and Eugenio.
Here is the news from philstar.com :
Breaking News Pinay Red Cross worker ‘released’ – reports
Updated April 02, 2009 09:05 PM
MANILA, Philippines – One of the three workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been released, radio reports said.
Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba is now in the custody of government authorities although it is yet unclear whether she was released by her captors or rescued by the military, reports said.
Swiss Andreas Notter and Italian Eugenio Vagni, the other two ICRC workers, remain as captives of the bandits in Sulu.
Earlier, security forces had surrounded the jungle hideouts in Sulu of the bandits holding hostage the three workers of the ICRC.
But Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno said the government would exhaust all peaceful efforts before ordering a rescue operation, which he said is easy to plan.
The three had been held in the jungles of Sulu since Jan. 15. They were abducted after a visit to a local prison where the Red Cross is funding a water project. A military source said the hostages as well as their captors led by Al Bader Parad and Dr. Abu were seen in a coastal area in Parang near Indanan. “After the series of encounters in Indanan last month with the Marines, they relocated their position to Parang,” he said. –
by Roel Pareño and Jaime Laude——————–
thanks God we have one saved from the hands of barbarous bandits. but let’s not forget that there were more than 2 victims still in the hands of these perpetrators. please be reminded that there were incidents of kidnappings before and after the high profile ICRC case. there were also poor teachers who were just performing their jobs, and in their way home were also kidnapped. unfortunately one of them died while in captivity, she was reported to be recovering from a medical operation and ran out of maintenance medicine. you see this is a very lucrative business, it was reported that the victims’ boat was intercepted by MILF men and they were later sold to ASG later on. there were also ordinary persons such as the employee of a pawnshop who also suffered the same fate. let’s not forget them, they are also entitled to an unconditional government support and help. let’s also pray for their fast and safe release…
Andreas Notter has been released unharmed. For the ailing Italian Eugenio Vagni and for the Filipino hostages, we also hope for their safe return to freedom as soon as possible.