OFWs in Iraq repatriated today

MANILA, Philippines — The mandatory evacuation of Filipinos in Iraq starts today after Alert Level 4, the highest crisis alert level, was raised yesterday over Middle Eastern countries due to the escalating tensions following the killing of an Iranian military leader by the US last week.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, who was designated by President Duterte as special envoy to the Middle East, said overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) would be evacuated either by land or air to Jordan and Dubai where conditions are more stable. 

“If the airport in Baghdad is still open, we will use that. Another option is by land going to Jordan. We will transport the OFWs to Dubai, Qatar or to Manila,” Cimatu said at a press briefing.

He said there are around 4,400 Filipinos in Iraq. Of the number, 1,592 have signed up for repatriation.

Cimatu will fly to Baghdad today to personally oversee the repatriation of OFWs. 

He advised the OFWs to go the Philippine embassy in Baghdad where they will be picked up and brought to the nearest airport.

Cimatu said even undocumented OFWs would be evacuated.

“Our teams will assist them, even those without passports. We will provide legal documents for them. The assembly area is the embassy in Baghdad,” he said.

“If the airport is closed by tomorrow, we will be moving them out by land. We need to identify humanitarian corridors where they can pass safely,” he added.

The mandatory repatriation of OFWs was ordered by the government as Alert Level 4 was raised in Iraq yesterday after Iran fired missiles on US military bases.

No Filipinos were injured in the missile attacks, which were launched in retaliation for the death of Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani in an airstrike by US forces last week.

US President Donald Trump admitted that he ordered the air strike to foil a supposed massive attack being planned by Soleimani’s troops.

Cimatu said the government would set up a central logistics base in Dubai for easier repatriation of OFWs in other countries in the Middle East.

He pointed out that there are also US bases in Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, which are possible targets of attack by Iran.

Cimatu said there are also plans to repatriate the OFWs in Iran. 

“They are not in the line of fire yet, but we are prepared to bring them out. From Iran, we plan to bring them to Turkey, then to Manila,” he said.

“There is a plan for evacuation. Philippine embassies in Iran and Iraq have contingency plans,” he added.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the mandatory evacuation is necessary because President Duterte’s primary concern is the safety of Filipinos in the Middle East.

Panelo said there is a Philippine ship waiting in the Gulf region ready to accommodate the displaced Filipinos who want to be rapatriated.

On Tuesday, Duterte said the government would abide by the provisions of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the US.

While he would allow the US military to use the Philippines for transit and refueling of military assets, Duterte said he would not allow Filipino soldiers to be deployed in conflict-stricken areas “unless national interest calls for it.”

Phl troops deployment

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will deploy troops to Iraq to help in the repatriation of Filipinos, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said yesterday. 

Lorenzana said a military ship, air assets and two battalions of soldiers would be part of the humanitarian mission.

“They will not go there to engage in combat, but to assist in the repatrion of Filipinos in Iraq,” he told reporters.

Lorenzana said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is coordinating with Arab states to pave the way for the Philippine troops to evacuate Filipinos from conflict zones in Iraq and Iran.

He said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)’s newly aqcuired vessel from France, BRP Gabriela Silang, is preparing to sail either to Oman or Dubai for the government’s repatriation program.

PCG commandant Admiral Joel Garcia said the ship is docked at the Malta port and ordered to divert to Jeddah.

Garcia said the repatriation of OFWs would be the first mission of BRP Gabriela Silang before she reaches Philippine waters.

In Mindanao, the military intensified the monitoring of terror groups amid possible attacks in support of Iran and Iraq.

AFP chief Lt. Gen. Felimon Santos said they are monitoring Islamic State-linked groups such as the Abu Sayyaf, Dawlah Islamiyah, Maute and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters based in Central Mindanao, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Rapid response teams

Rapid response teams will be deployed to Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates to oversee the evacuation of an estimated four million Filipinos in the Middle East, according to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

Bello said there are around two million registered OFWs in Middle Eastern countries.

“But the number could double if we consider the undocumented OFWs,” he said.

Bello said he would fly to Qatar to seek its assistance in repatriating the Filipinos in Iran and Iraq.

“I will try to borrow from Qatar plane or boats for the relocation of OFWs,” he said.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has disbursed P100 million to the different Philippine Overseas Labor Offices in the Middle East to fund the repatriation.

Labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino said the administration placed the OFWs in the Middle East in danger when President Duterte declared that he would side with the US in case the conflict in Iran worsens.

Chargé d’Affaires Jomar Sadie of the Philippine embassy in Baghdad said President Duterte ordered different government agencies to repatriate Filipinos in Iraq.

Alert Level 4 is issued when there is a large scale internal conflict or full blown external attack that requires mandatory evacuation, according to the DFA.

Saudi Arabia and Israel are not under Alert Level 4, the DFA said.

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez said Alert Level 4 has been raised in Iraq following the government’s assessment of the situation in the Middle East.

In an advisory on Tuesday, the embassy assured the Filipinos that the Philippine government is prepared to repatriate them amid the rising tensions between the US and Iraq following a US airstrike on Friday that killed Iran’s top military commander.

Filipinos affected by the crisis, including those who do not have employers and victims of human trafficking, are advised to come to the Philippine embassy in Baghdad.

The government urged Filipinos in the Middle East to remain vigilant, exercise caution and maintain situational awareness at all times.

There are around 1,600 Filipinos working in Iraq, mostly in the Kurdistan region. Several Filipinos in Baghdad are working in US and other foreign facilities.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. met on Tuesday with Chargé d’Affaires Nader Naseri at the Iran embassy in Manila to discuss the safety of Filipinos in Iran. 

Locsin also met with Ambassador Abdullah N.A. Al Bussairy of Saudi Arabia at the DFA office.

OFW evacuation backed

Vice President Leni Robredo supported the government’s decision to impose mandatory evacuation of Filipinos in war-torn Iraq.

Robredo vowed to provide livelihood assistance to the Filipinos who will be repatriated.

Senators called for calm and sobriety as well as cooperation by the OFWs with Philippine authorities amid the rising tensions in the Middle East.

“Let us pray for the safety of our kababayans in Iran and Iraq,” Sen. Bong Revilla said.

He urged Filipinos in the Middle East to remain vigilant and be updated on the measures being implemented by the government.

Sen. Joel Villanueva said the government’s emergency repatriation fund amounting to P65 million should be tapped to finance the evacuation of Filipinos in the Middle East.

 Villanueva, chairman of the Senate committee on labor and employment, said the fund, which was included in the 2020 General Appropriations Act that President Duterte signed this week, would be enough to jumpstart the government’s order to Filipino workers to leave Iraq.  – With Mayen Jaymalin, Christina Mendez, Jaime Laude, Robertzon Ramirez, Helen Flores, Paolo Romero, Roel Pareño, Ding Cervantes