Leave Libya now, DFA chief asks OFWs

MANILA, Philippines—After the recent abduction of seven Filipino workers in a surprise attack on a Libyan oil field, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario flew to neighboring Tunisia to renew the government’s call for the Filipino workers left behind to go home.

Del Rosario left the country on Thursday for a two-day visit to Tunisia, the northernmost country in Africa sharing a border with Libya, to personally review and direct the implementation of the Philippine government’s mandatory repatriation program for OFWs in Libya as the security situation there continues to deteriorate.

Tunisia is the main exit point for Filipinos being evacuated from Libya.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), at least 3,000 of the more than 4,000 Filipinos repatriated since June 2014 transited through Tunisia.

“The government has renewed its urgent call for Filipino workers in Libya to avail themselves of the program in view of the deteriorating situation in the country and following the abduction of seven Filipino nationals in two separate incidents in the past month,” a statement from the DFA released on Saturday said.

Del Rosario met with 41 Filipinos who had just escaped the violence in Libya and are scheduled to fly out of Tunis, Tunisia’s capital, to the Philippines.

Their evacuation has been facilitated by the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli, Libya.

“Secretary Del Rosario appealed to them to urge their remaining Filipino friends and acquaintances in Libya to heed the government’s advice and come home,” the DFA said.

While in Tunis, the secretary took the opportunity to meet with the ambassadors of Austria, Bangladesh and the Czech Republic, whose nationals were among those who were abducted following the attack on the Al Ghani oil field by an unknown armed group on March 6.

Four Filipinos were among nine foreigners snatched after the attack by suspected jihadists.

Del Rosario said the condition and whereabouts of the foreigners abducted remain unknown but officials of respective countries agreed to coordinate closely and create a crisis team to facilitate the search for their missing nationals.

Authorities have yet to track the location of the other three Filipino workers who were abducted in Libya early last month.

During the visit, Del Rosario was accompanied by Rafael Seguis, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for civilian security and consular concerns, and Julius D. Torres, assistant secretary for Middle East and African affairs.