Palace finalizing aid to quake-stricken Indonesia

MANILA, Philippines — The Duterte administration is still determining the assistance it would give to Indonesia, which was rocked by a deadly earthquake and a devastating tsunami over the weekend, presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said yesterday.

“For now, the DFA is finalizing the assistance to be offered to Indonesia. We extend our sympathies to our neighbor,” Roque said in a press briefing, referring to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

“We continue to monitor the situation in Central Sulawesi in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that struck the area on Friday and are in touch with Indonesian authorities,” the DFA said in a statement.

The government is also looking into the plight of the lone Filipino affected by the earthquake.

“We have an obligation to immediately provide them assistance where they are and if need be to relocate them at the soonest time possible,” Roque said.

“We stand ready to respond and extend any assistance, taking into account particular needs on the ground as may be indicated by Indonesia, a close neighbor and fellow ASEAN member,” the DFA said.

The DFA confirmed that the only Filipino in Indonesia’s island of Sulawesi is safe following a 7.5-magnitude earthquake.

Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Leehiong Wee said the only Filipino in the area hit by earthquake and tsunami is a detainee serving his sentence at the Lapas Penitentiary.

The DFA expressed its deep condolences to Indonesia over the deaths of some 1,200 people in the catastrophe.

Wee said the earthquake and tsunami struck the provincial capital of Palu and the neighboring city of Donggala. The tsunami triggered by the earthquake generated waves of up to three meters (10 feet) high.

Rescue efforts are reportedly underway, but are hampered by a major power cut and a landslide that has blocked the main road to Palu.