Libya prioritizes release of Filipino captives

MANILA, Philippines — The Libyan government has formed a high-level working group for the release of three Filipino engineers kidnapped last month, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said the Libyan Ministry of Internal Affairs would be taking the lead in negotiating for the release of the Filipino hostages.

"We're thankful that they made this a priority and we're hopeful that since they have made it a priority, they'll be able to recover three Filipinos and the Korean at the soonest possible time and in good health," Cayetano said in a press briefing.

Cayetano has refused to disclose more details but said that the team is working on its own timeline.

The Philippine government is also in constant contact with the families of the Filipino captives, Cayetano said.

"In any abduction, the timeline is always (as soon as possible)... It has to be in very close coordination with the Libyan government because they're the ones on ground," Cayetano said.

President Rodrigo Duterte was "really upset" when he found out about the situation of the three abducted Filipinos, according to Cayetano.

"The president did, in fact, get really upset he had to pull off for a while before coming back to the Cabinet meeting because he cannot accept that a Filipino will be a target around the world when we're doing so much to build other countries," the DFA chief said.

The president has also given orders to different government agencies to find a solution on the matter, Cayetano added.

Duterte earlier said he is planning to send a Navy frigate to Libya to help rescue the abducted Filipinos.

Last Saturday, the Philippine Navy said that it was preparing for the deployment of a team to rescue the Filipinos in Libya.

“As your Philippine Navy completes the facts on the ground, it is also preparing for the deployment of a Naval Task Group to assist the Department of Foreign Affairs in the situation in Libya,” the Navy said.

South Korea had deployed a warship to Libya as a show of force to secure the release of a South Korean national who was also kidnapped along with three Filipinos.

A South Korean defense ministry official said warship Munmu the Great was sent to the North African country to carry out "its duty of protecting commercial vessels, (the warship) is also preparing for all possibilities including the need for military support."