The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is ready to comply with President Rodrigo Duterte’s orders to bring home Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) should a fullblown war proxy war breaks out between the US and Iran in Iraq.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) under the Department of National Defense (DND) was tasked by the President and C-in-C to plan and prepare for possible repatriation of fellow Filipinos in Middle East,” the AFP said in a statement.
The military said that the crucial task does not only provide for transportation but a humanitarian mission to make sure that Filipinos safely arrive in the Philppines.
“Notwithstanding the challenges we face to carry that out, we are prepared to embark on that mission not only because it’s our mandate, but it is also in pursuit of the Commander-in-Chief’s directive. In both cases, they are because of care and compassion for our Kababayans,” the AFP said.
Duterte met with top military officials yesterday to discuss the situation in the Middle East following the tension between the United States and Iran sparked by the air strike assassination of top Iranian military commander, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad by the US last week.
President Trump has labelled Soleimani an international terrorist; Iran and several allied countries said the assassination was an act of terror.
“The sole agenda was how to ensure the safety of our countrymen in the Middle East especially those in Iraq and Iran as the tension between the US and Iran rises,” the Philippine defense department said.
There are 1,600 and 6,000 Filipinos in Iran and Iraq, respectively.
