Gov’t seeks release of 5 OFW captives

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) sought the help of Iraqi and Libyan governments in securing the release of five overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who were taken by armed men in two separate incidents in the two countries last Friday.

“The DFA, through our embassies in Baghdad and Tripoli, has been informed that five of our kababayan (countrymen) have been taken by armed men in Iraq and Libya on Friday,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement.

“We are in touch with authorities in Iraq and Libya and have requested their assistance in locating and securing the release of our missing kababayan,” Cayetano said.

Reports from the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad said two Filipino women were taken by still unidentified armed men along a highway in Uzem District, south of Kirkuk.

Chargé d’Affaires Julius Torres said the women were reportedly with two other women compatriots on their way to Baghdad from Kurdistan when their vehicle was stopped by armed men.

Torres said reports received by the Embassy indicate the driver abandoned his vehicle and four Filipinas were taken. However, the reports said two of the Filipinas were later able to escape and are now in police custody.

In Libya, the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli said three Filipino technicians were among four foreign nationals taken by armed men from a waterworks project site also on Friday.

Chargé d’Affaires Mardomel Melicor said armed men entered the construction site located 500 kilometers from Tripoli early Friday morning and took five foreigners and four Libyans from their quarters.

Melicor said the armed men later released one of the foreign workers and all the Libyans.