By Ronron
May 29, 2005
General Santos City - The contact of the Japanese Embassy in Manila for the turn over of the two alleged Japanese war soldiers holed up in the mountains of this city expressed willingess to meet the Japanese official from Tokyo who is supposed to have arrived here already on Sunday.
In an interview with Manila Shimbun early last night, the go-between said he was waiting for a word from embassy personnel yesterday afternoon regarding the supposed meeting but to no avail.
Suminori Arima, from Japan's Ministry of Welfare, was expected to have arrived in this southern Philippine city yesterday morning but journalists who went to the airport here to meet the official returned to their bases empty-handed.
Arima, according to Japanese Embassy spokesman Shuhei Ogawa, was sent here "to help in their operation" to confirm the report about the two Japanese stragglers who, allegedly after failing to go home to Japan after the second World War in 1945, has since lived in the mountains here.
The report drew so much interest from the Japanese community, especially from Japanese newsmen who flew in here from Japan, because of its precedent that happened in 1974 involving Japanese soldier, Hiroo Onoda, who was found in Lubang Island, Mindoro Occidental.
"I am willing to meet him (Arima) anytime but up to late this afternoon, there was no contact made to me from the Japanese government side," the self-proclaimed mediator told Manila Shimbun yesterday in Japanese.
At the time he was being interviewed, the mediator claimed he just came from the mountain to meet supposedly the two alleged Japanese soldiers. However, he failed to do so because, according to him, when he had already reached some 800 meters high, he was stopped by some guerillas, and that rain was pouring very hard.
Ogawa, in an interview earlier in the day, refused to divulge when the last contact was made by the embassy with the go-between, who is described to be a Japanese businessmen in Mindanao, as well as the content of their recent conversations.
He also did not respond to queries as to whether or not Arima had already arrived here and where would he be staying.
Even as the third day in waiting ended yesterday, the Japanese Embassy still has yet to make proper coordination with the local authorities here for the verification about the existence of the stragglers.
Ogawa said seeking the participation of the authorities would only "complicate" their mission.
"If they come to us and seek for our help (in verifying the existence of the Japanese stragglers), we will do so. I am hopeful they will come to us," said Police Superintendent Alfredo Toroctocon, chief of the General Santos City Police Office (GSCPO).
Both the police and army units here have maintained that they have no knowledge as to the sightings of the alleged two Japanese war soldiers.
So far, the coordination was only limited to the security of the embassy people and the hordes of Japanese mediamen. The Japanese Embassy, quoting an advisory from the regional police here, warned last Saturday the newsmen not to go to the mountains due to security risks brought about by the presence of elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the New People's Army (NPA).
Asked what if media defy their advisory, Ogawa replied: "Well, we can't control that situation anymore."
Army Maj. Gen. Raul Relano, 6th Infantry Division Commander, expressed worries that newsmen, especially Japanese nationals, might risk their selves to communist guerrillas if they go up to areas where the stragglers are reported to have been sighted, such as Columbio in Sultan Kudarat, located just north of this city.
"I am worried about their (reporters) security if they go there because that is an NPA-infested area. They could be kidnapped," Relano told Manila Shimbun in Filipino.
Toroctocon, for his part, disclosed that their intelligence men continue to receive "tidbits of information" regarding terroristic threats on the city coming from the Jeemah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf Group, which, even if based in Western Mindanao, have their own sympathizers from here.
The most recent terroristic attack in this city happened last February 14 of this year, simultaneous with the bombings in Makati City in Luzon, and in neighboring Davao City. At least three people were killed and 16 others were injured when a bomb blast hit the Gaisano Mall here last Valentine's day.
Toroctocon said personnel of the police precinct nearest to Phela Grande Hotel, located on Magsaysay Avenue here where embassy officials and most of the media are billeted, have been alerted to secure the vicinity.
They are supported by members of the military's Joint Task Force General Santos.
The stay here of the embassy people remains open until they could confirm the report regarding the stragglers, which, until yesterday, remains unaccomplished, said Ogawa.
He said what has so far transpired until the third day in waiting was only their continuing arrangement for the planned meeting.
The spokesman said no cash demand, either for ransom or other purposes, have been received by the Japanese government from anyone or the mediator in particular in exchange for the turn over of the alleged stragglers./DMS
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