|
A Filipino seaman, who was incarcerated in Bangladesh
for 11 years, has been released from prison and returned home.
Wilfredo Rosales, who was
arrested in the Bangladesh Southern Port City of Chittagong on
charges of gun smuggling, was convicted and incarcerated in 1997.
In a statement, the Department of
Foreign Affairs said Rosales’ release came at the behest of
newly-appointed Philippine Ambassador to Dhaka, Zenaida
Tacorda-Rabago.
Rabago has barely been ambassador
to Bangladesh for a month, having presented her credentials to
Bangladesh President Iajudding Ahmed on March 9.
Since that date, one of the first
items on Rabago’s agenda was the release of Rosales. Rabago
appealed to the Bangladeshi president that Rosales be released and
returned to the Philippines.
Rabago had expressed the desire
of the Philippine Government to further broaden and deepen the
excellent bilateral relations between the two countries.
The statement said Rabago
followed up her request in all her talks with the Bangladesh Foreign
Ministry officials.
Rosales was then turned
over by prison officials to Consul Alfredo Borlongan, who escorted
him back to Manila.
Besides the release of Rosales,
Rabago has also proposed closer security cooperation with Bangladesh
as well as educational exchanges between the Bangladeshi Armed
Forces and its Philippine counterpart.
According to the Ambassador, the
Philippines is also interested in Bangladesh’s pioneering work in
microcredit as well as its pharmaceutical sector, since the country
is looking for a good source of high quality generic medicines with
Congress tackling the Cheaper Medicines Bill.
For his part, President Ahmed
stated that the excellent bilateral relations existing between the
Philippines and Bangladesh would be further strengthened in view of
Bangladesh’s “Look East” Policy, since Bangladesh now gives
great importance to its relations with countries in Southeast Asia
such as the Philippines.
--Katrice R. Jalbuena
|
