DFA working on repatriation of beheaded Pinoy’s remains

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine embassy in Libya is coordinating with the employer of a Filipino construction worker beheaded in Benghazi for the immediate repatriation of his remains, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said they have been receiving calls from the families of Filipino workers in Libya to repatriate them.

The DFA said on Monday that there are 202 Filipinos in Libya who registered with the embassy for their repatriation. Filipinos in Benghazi who want to be repatriated were advised to call or email the embassy.

“We have raised alert level in the past two months and so far only 520 registered. Now that the alert is at level 4, we hope more will respond to our calls,” Jose said.

The DFA said foreigners including Filipinos have become “high value targets” in that country.

Citing reports from the Philippine embassy in Tripoli, the DFA said the vehicle that the victim   was riding in with two others, a Libyan and a Pakistani, was stopped by armed men at a checkpoint on July 15.