RP diplomats arrive in Kabul

RP diplomats arrive in Kabul

PHILIPPINES: Philippine diplomats have arrived in Afghanistan's
capital to help secure the release of a Filipino kidnapped along
with two other United Nations election workers by unidentified
gunmen last week, officials said on Sunday.

Philippine Ambassador to Pakistan Jorge Arizabal and his staff
will "work closely" with UN and Afghan authorities on the
negotiation process, Foreign Undersecretary Rafael Seguis said.

There was no word if UN authorities had established contact
with the kidnappers of Angelito Nayan, a Philippine foreign
service officer working for the United Nations Assistance Mission
to Afghanistan.

Nayan was abducted with the two other UN election workers -
Shqipe Habibi of Kosovo and Annetta Flanigan from Northern
Ireland - from their UN vehicle by gunmen in Kabul on Thursday.

A Taliban splinter group has claimed responsibility for the
abductions and threatened to execute the captives unless Afghan
prisoners are released from U.S. custody in Guantanamo Bay, and
Britain withdraws its troops from Afghanistan.

More than 300 Filipinos in Afghanistan, including 37 Filipinos
working for UN agencies, have been advised to limit their
movements following the abductions, Seguis said.--AP