Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 29) — Filipino national Noralin Babadilla — who was initially feared dead — has been freed by Palestinian militant group Hamas and is now safely back in Israel, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Wednesday.
The 60-year-old Babadilla was taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7 along with another Filipino, caregiver Jimmy Pacheco. They were freed separately during the ceasefire agreed to by Israel and Hamas.
Following their release, the government said all Filipinos affected by the war have been accounted for.
Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said Babadilla — a Filipino-Israeli citizen — is undergoing medical evaluation at a hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Filipina’s ordeal
The Israeli Embassy in Manila said Babadilla and her partner, Gideon Babani, visited close friends in Kibbutz Nirim on Oct 7 when the war broke out. Babani was killed by Hamas militants while Babadilla was taken captive into Gaza.
De Vega explained Philippine authorities weren’t immediately able to confirm if she was among the hostages, which led them to worry that she could be among the 14,000 people killed in the war.
“Ang importante buhay at ligtas siya kasi napagkamalan nga naming maaaring patay na siya. Natuwa kami nang malaman namin na papalayain siya. Miracles do happen… Malaking selebrasyon kasi lumabas siya, lumitaw siya,” he told CNN Philippines’ Balitaan.
[Translation: What’s important is she’s safe and alive. We thought she was dead. We were happy to find out she was going to be released. This is a big celebration because we found her.]
The DFA official added they don’t know yet if Babadilla has plans to return to the Philippines since she’s a dual citizen in Israel. But he added the Israeli government has pledged to cover her financial needs.
Marcos extended his gratitude to Israeli authorities for facilitating the release of Babadilla and for all ongoing assistance to Filipinos in Israel. He also thanked the governments of Egypt and State of Qatar for their crucial role in the release of captives.
