A Mountain Maiden From Sagada

To the great human rights advocates sitting in their black robes and silken panties in the Supreme Court of the Philippines, I hope you will note these real cases of EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS even as you turn down the requests of the Anti Terrorism Council for you to implement the mandates of the Human Security Act and establish special courts to try terrorist crimes. Ever heard of the Rule of Law, yer Honors?

The Igorot Blogger (From the Boondocks) has not carried this item as far as I can tell, but there is a surpassingly beautiful painting on that website which I've taken the liberty of retitling with a minor modification in honor of Zennia Aguilan from Sagada, Mountain Province, who died just now from wounds she suffered in a suicide bombing attack by Taliban Al Qaeda terrorists on a five star hotel in Afghanistan last week.

GMA TV NEWS: Relatives and friends describe 31-year-old Zennia P. Aguilan as daring, adventurous, kind-hearted, and bright.

With this attitude, Zennia left her hometown in Sagada, Mountain Province after completing a course on physical therapy in 2004 to work in Taiwan.

Two years later, she moved to Dubai, then to Afghanistan in July last year.

Little did she know that her adventure in Kabul would end her life. Zennia passed away on Tuesday after sustaining serious injuries from explosions when suicide bombers attacked Monday night the only five-star Serena Hotel in the Afghan capital where she worked as a spa supervisor.

Wire reports said at least eight other persons died in the attack.

Shirley Lebeng, Zennia’s cousin residing in Baguio City, described her as modest and a very bright child since her elementary days at the Anglican-run St. Mary’s School in Sagada. “She was good and kind-hearted."

Lebeng said Zennia’s employer, a European who owns Spa Resources International at the Serena Hotel, telephoned the OFW’s mother and assured her of the repatriation of Zennia’s remains as soon as possible.

Herminia Aguilan, Zennia’s mother, is a retired school teacher in Sagada. She appealed to authorities to help bring her body home soon.

People who are calling for all sorts of "employment bans" on OFWs in dangerous places like Afghanistan and Iraq are wrong to urge such SURRENDER to foes of civilization that would just as soon place all women under a bourqa, or under ground, for daring to work in a five star hotel.

Read it all!

ABU SAYYAF STRIKES AGAIN: In the past week of terrorist activity, the Abu Sayyaf in Tawi-tawi, Mindanao killed a Catholic priest, Father Ray Roda of the Oblates of Mary, Immaculate, during a kidnapping attempt. They've taken a teacher in his mission hostage, Omar Taub.

This story is the true continuation of last year's series of MILF/MNLF/ASG atrocities beginning with another kidnapping: that of Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi, and not quite ending in over fifty Philippine Marines and Army personnel getting ambushed, killed and/or beheaded, with Philippine peace processors like Jess Dureza and Gen. Rodolfo Garcia getting in the way of police and military efforts to apprehend these nasty kidnap for ransom and glee cut-throats.

Father Giancarlo Bossi, who was probably ransomed to safety and then spirited out of the country last year, refused to cooperate with authorities in identifying his kidnappers and helping to apprehend them. Hmm, I guess when they find the killers of the Fr. Roda, they ought to note who might be running out of Italian liras and was trying to replenish their stock. Oh all in the name of Bangsamoro people's libertion, of course.