Roberto Tarongoy(R), a Filipino accountant working for a Saudi company specialized in providing supplies to US and Iraqi armies, was kidnapped last week in Baghdad, while Angelito Nayan(L), a Filipino working for the United Nations in Kabul, was abducted together with two other UN employees by a Taliban group when helping manage Afghanistan's Oct. 9 presidential election. (File photo) A TV grab shows Angelito Nayan, a Filipino working for the United Nations in Kabul, was abducted together with two other UN employees by a Taliban group when helping manage Afghanistan's Oct. 9 presidential election. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) A TV grab shows the three UN employees held hostage by a breakaway Taliban group at an undisclosed location in Afghanistan. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

    MANILA, Nov. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Bahrain Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has vowed to help the Philippine government secure the release of a Filipino hostage from his captors in Iraq, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs announced Monday.

    In a press statement, the department said Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo met with the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain for 50 minutes over the weekend.

    During the meeting, Romulo thanked the Arab leader for his country's role in obtaining the freedom of Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz, who was abducted in Iraq in July.

    "The Prime Minister said that Bahrain is always ready to help in such situations and said that he will personally exert every effort to secure the release of Robert Tarongoy," Romulo said, referring to the Filipino accountant kidnapped on Nov. 1 in Baghdad with several other foreigners.

    During the dialogue in the Bahrain capital of Manama, both officials reiterated their commitment to stronger ties between thetwo countries and the welfare and protection of Filipinos in Bahrain.

    Khalifa also told Romulo that he was personally committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of all Filipinos in Bahrain.

    Late Sunday, Romulo appeared at Al-Jazeera TV, appealing for the safe and early release of Tarongoy in a live broadcast.

    Romulo is in the Middle East on the instructions of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He first flew to the United Arab Emirates to offer the country's condolences on the death of former United Arab Emirates President Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

    He is also visiting other Middle East countries to seek their help in the release of two Filipinos being held hostage: Angelito Nayan in Afghanistan and Tarongoy in Iraq.

    Meanwhile, Nayan's family Monday released a statement, appealing to the Taliban militants in Afghanistan to spare Nayan'slife. Enditem