P15-million ransom sought for Sulu midwife

MANILA, Philippines - The kidnappers of a midwife in Sulu have sought P15-million ransom for her release as they threatened to behead her if their demand would not be met soon. 

This was learned from Kadil Sinolin-ding Jr., health secretary of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARRM), who led some 300 health workers in an indignation rally the other day in Cotabato City to demand the immediate release of 57-year-old midwife Evangeline Taverisma.

Sinolinding appealed to the kidnappers to free Taverisma, saying her family has no means to raise the amount. Her husband is a retired soldier.

Armed gunmen, suspected to be Abu Sayyaf bandits, seized Taverisma in Indanan, Sulu last Aug. 3 while on her way to a rural health center where she served as midwife.

“We are calling on the provincial government of Sulu to use its power to secure the safe release of our lowly health worker,” said Ali Macalabang, head of the ARRM public Affairs Office.

Macabalang said Taverisma’s family only subsists on her meager income as a rural health worker.

The ARRM’s rural health workforce is composed mostly of volunteers whose passion is only to bring health care to people in depressed and conflict-hit areas.

Macalabang said it’s about time for Sulu Gov. Abu Sakur Tan to show and flex some muscles in dealing with the kidnappers.

Sinolinding said the kidnapping might jeopardize health operations in Sulu villages.

“The kidnapping has affected our delivery of health care services to residents in depressed areas of Sulu because our health workers in the province, for fear of being kidnapped, are no longer reporting to their respective local health stations,” Sinolinding said.