Jordanian journalist
– captive or not?

The Jordan government had said that Alarabiya correspondent for Southeast Asia Baker Abdulla Atyani has been abducted by the Abu Sayaff and has asked its Manila consulate to handle negotiations for his release.

Now, no government will make such an official claim were it not founded on sound information. In short, either a direct message from Atyani or information by either the Sayaff or any other reliable party with regard to the situation.

That the Jordanian foreign office has instructed its Manila consulate to handle the negotiation for Atyani’s freedom means that it is seriously concerned with the veracity of the report. It is very unlikely that a foreign government will misinterpret Arayanai’s continued stay in Jolo as an admission that he is in the hands of the renegade Islamist group. There must have been signals, either from Arayani or a very reliable source, that prompted the Jordanian government to ask its local consulate to handle the whole thing.

Of course, our own official sources still remain in the dark as to whether Atyani is really abducted with his down Filipino cameramen. That is why our officials are still talking about asking Atyani to explain his movements in Sulu and his seeming disappearance for almost two weeks.

But, perhaps, the better course of action is for the government to take at face value what the Jordanian government reported. I am sure that the alert to its local consulate must have been furnished also to the DFA. This is something which our foreign office must be able to shed light on.

***

Businessman Manual V. Pangilinan appears to have stolen the thunder from the government by taking on the China National Offshore Corporation as one of the partners in the exportation for the gas reserves at Pecto Bank.

This is part of the disputed Waste Philippine Sea that has triggered a standoff between Beijing and Manila over the claim of ownership of the area.

I guess Pangilinan may actually have the wisdom to anticipate the outcome of the talks between the Philippine government and China.

In short, he must have jumped the gun on the government.

As I had earlier pointed out a long-time Chinese friend of mine told me that Beijing, or the Chinese, are not really after claiming the land area and the shoal, only after businesses.

Well, with the US asking both the Philippines and China to settle their dispute. It seems the US is also aware that China is not really hell bent on taking over the disputed area but in seeking a peaceful and economic solution to the dispute.

The Philippines has become bellicose despite the fact that the US had shown clearly that taking any position over the dispute except for the repeated promises that it will remain committed to the defense of the Philippines in the event of an escalating of the dispute into clash.

So, I guess Pangilinan just stole the thunder of the expected negotiation between the Philippines and China over the controversial area.

“Only business,” was how the Chinese friend explained the Beijing position.

Perhaps, Pangilinan, in his own way may have shown us the way to handle the situation and relieve the tension in the area.

***

A salute to Sipalay Mayor Oscar Montilla for the completion of the P140-million new Sipalay City Hall.

Also, other than this major project of Mayor Montilla, there is also the ongoing construction of a 75 bed hospital that will cost P100-million.

The hospital constructed at two hectare lot donated for the purpose by the Montilla family, will prove a boon to Southern Negros Occidental residents especially Sipalay and Hinobaan.

In addition, Montilla also disclosed that there are negotiations now with the town of Hinobaan for the newly-opened sanitary landfill in Sipalay.

Unlike the still unpaid sanitary landfill of Bacolod City, that of Sipalay will be accept segregated garbage for disposal from the neighboring town of Hinobaan.

One can only visualize the growth of Sipalay into a major city in the South.

That will become a major possibility if the former Sipalay mines, previously Maricalum Corporation will finally start operating under the aegis of Manuel V. Pangilinan’s Philex Mining Corp. and the Selenga Mining Corporation which is undertaking a project study.*

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