Cebuana volunteer shares how she survived Afghan terror raid

CEBU, Philippines - “I have no fear of death, because of my faith in God.”

This was the initial answer of Remedios Mondigo, a Cebuana, who was one of the survivors of a terror attack in Afghanistan last October 28 when asked how she survived the incident.

A public outreach advisor working with the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan (IEC) in Kabul under the United Nations Development Programme/Enhancing Electoral Capacity for Tomorrow (UNDP/ELECT), Mondigo has personally witnessed how the Taliban militants stormed a guesthouse in Kabul, killing 12 people including six of her fellow volunteers. 

While Mondigo was fortunate enough to survive the incident, one of her Filipino colleagues and a close friend, Jossie G. Esto, 40, a native of New Washington, Aklan was killed when a rocket hit the latter’s room in the upper part of the building that they were occupying.

Mondigo, who was in another floor down during the attack, said they immediately sought cover upon hearing several gun fires.

Six UN workers are believed to have been killed in the early morning attack, which sent terrified guests running from the Bekhtar guesthouse. Others reportedly jumped from upper floors as flames engulfed the three-storey building.

Another Cebuano volunteer, Jose Rey Palicte said he was here in the country for a vacation when the terrorist attack happened. “I will still continue to work as volunteer amidst what happen to other UN Volunteer,” he added. 

Mondigo and Palicte were among the guest speakers during the Special Kapihan sa PIA yesterday. Esto’s body arrived last Thursday morning and now lies in her hometown in Aklan.

Esto was a former school teacher who also worked as an election officer and civic education officer in the country before serving as a UN volunteer in Liberia, Timor-Leste and Nepal. She was married with two children aged 14 and 11.She was also the fourth UN staff member from the Philippines to die in terrorist attacks targeting the world body.

Meanwhile, Mondigo said that despite the dangers that they are facing, she will continue with her volunteering job.

Mondigo has worked for the National Economic Development Authority-7 from 1978 to 2002 but she opted for early retirement in January 2003 to pursue a career with the United Nations.

According to her, the UNDP/Elect Project is the primary vehicle through which the international community supports elections in Afghanistan.

UNDP/Elect works closely with electoral bodies such as the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan and provides project and program design and management, mobilization of donor funding, activity coordination, reporting, and the channeling of funds for electoral support. — Johanna T. Natavio/WAB   (FREEMAN NEWS)