Business as usual in PHL Consulate despite Sydney hostage-taking

Hostages held in Sydney cafe, Islamic flag seen in window
Hostages held in Sydney cafe, Islamic flag seen in window . A New South Wales state police officer is seen at a corner near Lindt Cafe in Martin Place, where hostages are being held, in central Sydney on Monday, December 15. At least 13 hostages are being held inside the cafe where a black flag with white Arabic writing could be seen in the window, raising fears of an attack linked to Islamic militants.Reuters/Jason Reed
It's business as usual for the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney as it monitors the hostage-taking incident inside a local cafe there involving an unknown number of hostages.

In a phone interview with GMA News TV's “Balitanghali” on Monday, Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis said the consulate is about 20 minutes away by foot from Lindt Cafe in Martin Place, where the hostages are being held by a lone assailant.

"As of this time, hindi pa rin ma-ascertain ng mga pulis kung sinu-sino ba 'yung mga hostages na involved, including 'yung nationalities, so as of this time hindi pa po natin alam," she said.

"Tayo ay nagdarasal na walang Filipino na affected," Louis added.

Louis said local authorities are still in the dark as to the motivation and demands of the lone hostage-taker.

"We are confident naman that the local officials are handling this situation very seriously. The consulate is also in touch with the New South Wales police force tungkol sa development dito," she said.

The Consul General said it is "business as usual" for them, following directives from Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who she noted had urged everyone "to remain calm, to be vigilant, and to go about their business as usual."

Louis said most employees in nearby offices there have been sent home, and buildings have been cleared shortly before noon there, with authorities on standby as the situation unfolds.

She noted that most Filipinos who may be working in Sydney live in suburban areas, which are 30 minutes to an hour away.

Filipino tourists have been advised not to get near the cafe.

"Kung meron man tayong mga kababayan dito na bumibisita as tourists, then of course I would advise them na 'wag lumapit sa area na ito to avoid any untoward incident," said Louis. —Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/KBK, GMA News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

POPCOM, gagamit ng ‘digital platforms’ para pagtibayin ang mga ugnayang pampamilya

Mas pinalalawig ng Komisyon sa Populasyon at Pagpapaunlad (POPCOM) ang adhikain nitong pagpapalaganap at pagpapabuti ng pakikipag-ugnayan ng mga nakakatandang Pilipino sa kanilang mga anak na nagdadalaga at nagbibinata. Nitong Setyembre 21, ang POPCOM ay nagsagawa ng isang “parent-teen talk webinar” gamit ang Zoom, kung saan ang isang “interactive program” ang nagbigay ng naaayon na kaalaman at kasanayan sa mga magulang, habang tumulong ito sa mga anak na teenager na maabot ang kanilang buong potensyal. Hinikayat din nito ang mga nanay at tatay na sumali sa malayang usapan, lalo na sa mga usapin ukol sa sex at sekswalidad, na nakikitang makakatulong upang bumaba ang mga bilang ng mga pagbubuntis sa hanay ng mga kabataan. Maaaring mapanood ang webinar sa https://youtu.be/lZ9jrJCjYas. Ayon kay Ikalawang Kalihim (Undersecretary) Juan Antonio A. Perez III, MD, MPH, “ang webinar ay naging isang tagapag-simula at ‘padaluyan’ ng pag-uu
Read more

Biden said set to make push for demilitarized Palestinian state as part of new doctrine ---By LAZAR BERMAN

New York Times’ Thomas Friedman, who’s close to the US administration, says emerging doctrine would include Saudi-Israeli normalization, 2-state solution, and campaign against Iran US President Joe Biden’s administration is homing in on a new doctrine involving an unprecedented push to immediately advance the creation of a demilitarized but viable Palestinian state, The New York Times’ Thomas Friedman reported on Thursday. The plan, Friedman wrote, “would involve some form of US recognition of a demilitarized Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip that would come into being only once Palestinians had developed a set of defined, credible institutions and security capabilities to ensure that this state was viable and that it could never threaten Israel.” White House officials “have been consulting experts inside and outside the US government about different forms this recognition of Palestinian statehood might take,” revealed Friedman. What he termed the new “Biden Doctrin
Read more

In Cairo, senior Hamas officials discuss hostage deal with Egyptian intelligence chief ---By TOI STAFF, AGENCIES and LAZAR BERMAN

Delegation said led by terror group’s Qatar-based political leader Ismail Haniyeh; Wall Street Journal reports Hamas demanding 150 security prisoners for each female soldier A delegation of senior Hamas officials arrived in Cairo on Thursday for talks with Egyptian officials on a possible deal that would see the release of hostages held by terrorists in Gaza. The delegation was led by Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who lives in Qatar, and included senior members Mousa Abu Marzook and Khalil al-Hayya, the Qatar-based Al-Araby news outlet reported, citing an unnamed Egyptian source. The Hamas officials met with the head of Egyptian intelligence, Major General Abbas Kamel, to discuss the details of a hostage deal proposal that was presented to the Gaza terror group earlier this week by Qatari and Egyptian mediators. The outline of the deal was drawn up during a meeting in Paris last week in the presence of Israeli and US officials, as well as Qatari and Egyptian negotiators, a
Read more