Pinoys taken hostage in Libya back in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — The three Filipino engineers who were hostaged in Libya last year returned to the Philippines yesterday.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. personally met the three engineers – Anthony Padilla, Romeo Manabat and Roderick Rivera – upon their arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2.

“We are glad that we are able to bring them home alive and safe to their families. These Filipinos coming home to their families are living proof that the Department of Foreign Affairs will never leave a Filipino in danger behind,” he said.

On Twitter, Locsin also shared photos of the freed hostages and their families.

“I told them the President would have strung me up if they did not come back safe. They said they knew he was watching over them,” he wrote.

The three Filipinos and their South Korean colleague were taken by armed men from the project site of the Great Man-Made River Project in the southern part of Libya last July.

President Duterte even threatened to send frigates to Libya to help in the search.

On Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced the release of the three Filipinos and the South Korean.

Philippine ambassador to the UAE Hjayceelyn Quintana accompanied the Filipinos in their flight back to Manila.

“The Philippines deeply appreciates the efforts of the United Arab Emirates, Libya, South Korea and other friendly countries that led to the release of the three Filipinos and their Korean colleague,” the DFA said in a separate statement. – Rudy Santos