5 Pinoys affected in Mumbai attacks
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/27/2008 5:04 PM
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The Philippine Embassy in New Delhi reported Thursday that five Filipino nationals are confirmed to have been affected by the Mumbai terrorist attacks.
A text message from the Department of Foreign Affairs said two male overseas Filipino workers of the Oberoi Hotel's Tiffen restaurant have been evacuated to safety.
Their Filipino wives, who recently arrived to join their husbands, are also safe and currently billeted in another hotel.
A fifth Filipino national, who is visiting Mumbai on business, received treatment for minor injuries he sustained during the attack on Oberoi.
"The Embassy and honorary consul general in Mumbai maintain contact with the five Filipinos and will provide assistance as needed," the DFA said.
Army commandos laid siege Thursday to two luxury hotels in Mumbai where gunmen held foreign guests hostage as part of coordinated attacks across India's financial capital that left up to 100 dead.
An Islamist group calling itself the "Deccan Mujahedeen" said it carried out the attacks late Wednesday on the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Trident hotels, and eight other locations, including the main train station, a hospital and a popular restaurant.
One of the gunmen holed up in the Trident told the India TV channel by phone that the little-known terror outfit wanted an end to the persecution of Indian Muslims and the release of all fellow Islamic militants detained in India.
"Muslims in India should not be persecuted. We love this as our country but when our mothers and sisters were being killed, where was everybody?" he said from inside the hotel, which was surrounded by army commandos.
The Philippines on Thursday condemned the deadly terrorist attacks in India and ordered stepped up security to prevent similar outrages at home.
"The entire Filipino nation and Filipinos around the world mourn with the families of those who died and were hurt because of the Mumbai attacks," presidential spokesman Anthony Golez said in a statement.
"We condemn these terroristic attacks against mankind," he said, adding that Manila was "united" with India in its quest to crush terror groups.
President Gloria Arroyo's National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said the attacks in India showed terrorists "can strike anywhere, at any time".
He said all government security agencies have been alerted to prevent similar attacks in the Philippines, where local terror groups with links to Al-Qaeda have carried out deadly bombings.
The Philippines is a key anti-terror ally of the US government in Southeast Asia. Washington has been helping governments in the region battle several Al-Qaeda-linked groups, including the Abu Sayyaf operating out of Mindanao island.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Esteban Conejos, citing reports from the Philippine embassy in New Delhi and the honorary consulate in Mumbai, said there have been "no reported Filipino casualties in the bomb explosions in Mumbai."
He said the "embassy and the consulate will continue to coordinate with authorities to ascertain and ensure delivery of assistance to Filipino nationals, if any, affected by the incidents." With Reuters
