Philippines supports ‘peaceful transition’ in Libya

Libyans hold a huge flag as they celebrate overrunning the main Moammar Gadhafi compound Bab Al-Aziziya in Tripoli, Libya, early Wednesday. AP

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines said it supported a “peaceful transition” in Libya as rebels Wednesday overran Moammar Gadhafi’s Tripoli compound.

“The Philippines welcomes the imminent resolution of the conflict in Libya,” the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said in a statement.

“The Philippines supports a peaceful transition in Libya in order for normalcy to return to this country, and looks forward to working with the Libyan people in pursuing peace and stability,” the DFA said.

Manila thanked the Libyan people for ensuring the safety of Filipinos in the strife-torn North African country.

“The Philippine government thanks the Libyan people for keeping Filipinos and their families in Libya safe and for the hospitality extended to them throughout the conflict, including the Filipino medical workers who chose to remain in order to continue providing emergency humanitarian assistance to all parties in the conflict,” the DFA said.

Rebels have also assured Philippine embassy officials in Tripoli that fleeing Filipino migrants could safely get out.

“Representatives from the rebel groups have already visited our embassy officials and have assured safety corridors for the passage of our OFWs [overseas Filipino Workers] to the port of Tripoli and onward repatriation,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez told reporters in Malacañang.

Tripoli residents celebrated into the early hours of Wednesday following the capture of the Bab al-Azizya compound, despite finding no sign of the Libyan strongman or his sons.

Rebels hunted for Gadhafi and battled the remnants of his forces, as the strongman urged residents to cleanse the capital “of rats.”

The attack on Gadhafi’s headquarters followed three days of fighting in the capital which the head of the rebel National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, said had left more than 400 killed and 2,000 wounded.

In Manila, diplomats at the Libyan embassy pulled down Gadhafi’s green flag and raised the rebel one Wednesday while young expatriates smashed glass-covered portraits.

“We received a note verbale from the Libyan embassy that they will be hoisting the NTC flag starting this morning,” Hernandez said.

Libyan consul in Manila Faraj Zarroug said about 85 percent of his country’s 165 diplomatic missions around the globe have recognized the interim rebel government, National Transitional Council.

Zarroug said Gadhafi’s power has plummeted, adding: “It’s game over.”

Zarroug said pro-democracy rebel forces were fighting pockets of Gadhafi loyalists in the Libyan capital, but that “probably in a few days, everything will be over.”

Libyan embassy officials are still accorded diplomatic status as their accreditations have not been recalled, according to Hernandez. With report from Norman Bordadora, Nancy Carvajal, Philippine Daily Inquirer; Associated Press and Agence France-Presse