PHILIPPINES: MORE THAN 100 FILIPINOS BOUND FOR IRAQ ARE PREVENTED FROM BOARDING THEIR FLIGHT AFTER GOVERNMENT HALTS WORKER DEPLOYMENT IN WAKE OF CURRENT HOSTAGE CRISIS
Record ID:
646686
PHILIPPINES: MORE THAN 100 FILIPINOS BOUND FOR IRAQ ARE PREVENTED FROM BOARDING THEIR FLIGHT AFTER GOVERNMENT HALTS WORKER DEPLOYMENT IN WAKE OF CURRENT HOSTAGE CRISIS
- Title: PHILIPPINES: MORE THAN 100 FILIPINOS BOUND FOR IRAQ ARE PREVENTED FROM BOARDING THEIR FLIGHT AFTER GOVERNMENT HALTS WORKER DEPLOYMENT IN WAKE OF CURRENT HOSTAGE CRISIS
- Date: 8th July 2004
- Summary: (W4) MANILA, PHILIPPINES (JULY 8, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. FILIPINO WORKERS QUEUING AT THE AIRPORT TICKET COUNTER 0.02 2. VARIOUS OF BAGS BELONGING TO WORKERS BOUND FOR IRAQ (2 SHOTS) 0.11 3. VARIOUS OF WORKERS TRYING TO CHECK IN FOR THEIR FLIGHT (3 SHOTS) 0.28 4. (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) FILIPINO WORKER, MANOLITO DABASOL, SAYING: "I am going to work on the U.S. base as a labourer. I am willing to go. It (the hostage-taking) doesn't bother me. Just to support my family. If I die there, I'll surely get something. Here, nothing." 0.36 5. WORKERS SEATED AT THE AIRPORT LOBBY 0.41 6. WORKERS NEGOTIATING WITH AIRPORT MANAGER, EDUARDO MANDA (3 SHOTS) 0.54 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANDA SAYING: "We're quite lucky because the flight was delayed. If they were onboard, we would have unloaded them and bring them back to the pre-departure area." 1.07 8. WS: AIRPORT 1.13 9. TELEVISION CAMERAS 1.15 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN, RICARDO SALUDO SAYING: "We hope the same low-profile approach will yield a successful result in this case." 1.25 11. MORE OF CAMERAS 1.29 12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEFENCE MINISTER, EDUARDO ERMITA SAYING: "The instruction given them is just to stay where they are and get out of harm's way and there's no basis for a decision to pull them out because in the first place, the details are still to be determined." 1.46 13. CAR CARRYING PROTESTERS APPROACHING FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY 1.56 14. VARIOUS OF PROTEST DEMANDING PULL OUT OF FILIPINO WORKERS AND TROOPS FROM IRAQ (3 SHOTS) 2.16 15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTEST LEADER, RENATO REYES SAYING: "We appeal to the Philippine government, in fact we demand the immediate withdrawal of Filipino troops and workers for Iraq. We demand to stop sending Filipinos to Iraq and that the Philippine government should withdraw all kinds of support for the U.S. war and occupation of Iraq." 2.33 16. PROTEST LEADER SPEAKING BEFORE CROWD 2.38 17. PROTESTER HOLDING PHOTO OF FILIPINO HOSTAGE IN IRAQ 2.41 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 23rd July 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
- Country: Philippines
- Reuters ID: LVA5852WN9JX0LPCTZI4VFE3OVL0
- Story Text: More than a hundred Filipinos bound for Iraq were
prevented from boarding their flight after the government
barred them in the wake of the hostage crisis.
A Philippines diplomat in Baghdad has confirmed
on Thursday (July 8) the man taken hostage by militants in
Iraq as a Philippine national.
Ricardo Endaya, the Philippines' top diplomat in
Baghdad, said in an interview with Philippine television
that this was a kidnapping situation, confirmed through
their contacts in Baghdad and Qatar.
But for the 120 workers waiting to fly to Iraq from
Manila airport on Thursday, it was a case of bitter
disappointment as immigration officials told them they
could not board their flight.
Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered
an immediate halt to the deployment of workers to Iraq
after the reported hostage-taking of Filipino man by
militants.
"I am going to work on the U.S. base as a labourer. I
am willing to go. It (the hostage-taking) doesn't bother me. Just to
support my family. If I die there, I'll
surely get something. Here, nothing," said one of the
workers, Manolito Dabasol, waiting at the airport.
Airport Manager Eduardo Manda tried to convince the
workers to go home, but many of them refused and said they
would stay, even if it meant sleeping in the airport lobby,
until they are allowed to leave for Iraq.
"We're quite lucky because the flight was delayed. If
they were onboard, we'd have to upload them and bring them
back to the pre-departure area," the manager said.
For the 2,500 Filipinos who leave their country every
day to seek work abroad, Iraq is just another means of
escape from the poverty and unemployment that has turned
the Philippines into a nation of migrants.
Workers queuing to sign up for an Iraq stint on
Thursday were undeterred by pictures broadcast by the Al
Jazeera TV channel of a man, reported to be Filipino,
kneeling before three gunmen threatening to behead him
unless Manila withdrew its troops.
Around 8 million Filipinos, 10 percent of the
population, help prop up the debt-laden Philippines economy
with billions of hard-earned dollars they send home every
year, but their absence leaves a gaping hole in families
and society.
At least 4,000 Filipinos are working in Iraq, mostly as
contractors with the U.S. military and private companies.
Government officials say Filipinos are probably the biggest
single group of foreign workers in Iraq, with many more
unregistered.
Three have already been killed in attacks by
insurgents, and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's
immediate response to the apparent abduction was to order
an immediate halt to worker deployment to Iraq.
Arroyo sent her top Middle East envoy, Ambassador Roy
Cimatu, to Iraq to assess the situation, and a spokesman
said the government wanted to take a similar "low profile"
approach used by Turkey in securing the release of hostages.
Deputy presidential spokesman Ricardo Saludo told a
news conference, after a regular cabinet meeting that
preceded the emergency session that they had noted that a
low-profile approach helped in resolving the issue.
Five Turkish hostages held under threat of execution by
militants in Iraq were freed last week.
The Philippines, a staunch Asian ally of the United
States and a major recipient of U.S. military aid, has
about 50 military personnel in Iraq assisting in
reconstruction.
Defense minister Eduardo Ermita said there is no
decision to pull out the troops yet.
"The instruction given them is just to stay where they
are and get out of harm's way and there's no basis for a
decision to pull them out because in the first place, the
details are still to be determined," he said.
Dozens of protesters flocked in front of the Foreign
Affairs Department on Thursday to demand the withdrawal of
Filipino troops and workers from Iraq.
"We appeal to the Philippine government, in fact we
demand the immediate withdrawal of Filipino troops and
workers for Iraq. We demand to stop sending Filipinos to
Iraq and that the Philippine government should withdraw all
kinds of support for the US war and occupation of Iraq,"
said protest leader Renato Reyes.
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