Two Filipinos trapped in besieged Mumbai hotel - report
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/27/2008 10:07 PM
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Two Filipinos are reportedly trapped at the Trident-Oberoi Hotel in Mumbai, one of the sites where suspected terrorists launched attacks in India's financial capital on Thursday.
In a live phone interview aired in TV Patrol World, Editha Alba-Khorakiwala, a Filipino living in Mumbai, said two Filipinos are trapped in one of the rooms of the Trident-Oberoi.
The two women, who are yet to be identified, are wives of two Filipinos working as sous-chefs at the hotel's Tiffen restaurant.
They were able to speak to Khorakiwala via cellphone while being holed up in the an undisclosed room in the hotel.
"Nandoon pa rin sila sa kuwarto, natatakot at hindi nila alam kung kailan sila makakalabas dahil wala silang balita from the outside. Nakausap ko sila pareho at pareho silang natatakot pero sabi ko lakasan lang ang loob dahil ginagawa na ang lahat ng government troops kung paano sila ma-save," Khorakiwala said.
She said the Filipinas' husbands were able to escape during the initial stages of the attacks.
"Ang mga asawa nila ay nakalabas ng maayos dahil ang restaurant nga ay nasa ground floor at nung nagputukan ay madali silang na-evacuate, samantalang itong dalawa ay nasa ika-sampung palapag ng hotel kung nasaan ang staff floor ng mga nagtratrabaho sa Trident," Alba-Khorakiwala said.
The people trapped in the hotel, including the Filipinas, were reportedly given instructions to not go out of the building.
"Binigyan sila ng instruction na magtago lang doon at huwag lalabas. Kaya mula kagabi hanggang nandoon sila," she said.
"Sabi ko may pagkain ba kayo wala daw. Pati battery ng cellphone mauubos na pati yung load. Sabi ko magtext lang kung kailangan kong tawagan o maryoong kailangan. Naghihintay sila at ang pangamba nandun pa rin," Khorakiwala added.
Five Filipinos affected
Earlier, the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi reported that Filipino nationals are confirmed to have been affected by the Mumbai terrorist attacks.
Aside from the two Filipinas reportedly trapped in the Oberoi and their respective husbands, 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.
Charge d'Affaires Ma. Aniceta Aileen Bugarin of the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi, the Indian capital, said the Filipinos affected by the incidents in Mumbai are "alright."
"Let's just assure our kababayans that they're alright. We have talked to them. We have assisted them and we have contacted their families," Bugarin said in a telephone interview with ABS-CBN News.
"Wala naman panganib na kakalat ito and we are confident na ang Indian government is actually working its best to keep all their nationals and the foreign visitors here and their guests to be safe," she added.
Bugarin added that families of Filipinos who might be affected by the Mumbai incidents can call the Philippine Embassy there, at +91-1126-889091 or +91-9910-797014.
"Ghost town"
Khorakiwala said Mumbai has turned into a "ghost town" as the attacks continue.
"Lahat ng makausap kong mga kaibigan at kamag-anak ay nasa bahay lang. Ang aking parents-in-law ay nasa likuran lang ng Taj Hotel so mga two to three minutes' walking distance lang. Mausok doon gawa ng mga putukan at naganap na sunog sa Taj. Ang buong area ay naka-cordon mga two, three kilometers. Walang inallow na sasakyan doon," she said.
"Pinagbabawalan ang mga tao lumabas gawa ng mayroon pang lima o pitong terrorist na nakakalat sa Bombay at sa loob ng hotel, mga sampu. Basta lahat sila nandyan pa kaya ang pangamba at takot nandoon sa lahat ng tao dito sa Bombay," she added.
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.
RP gov't condemns attacks
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 reports from ABS-CBN News and Reuters
