3 Filipino inmates in Indonesia safe after volcano eruption — DFA

Three Filipino inmates in Ternate, Indonesia were marked safe after Mount Gamalama erupted last Thursday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

“Consul General Oscar G. Orcine said the three Filipinos in Ternate near Mount Gamalama are safe. They are all inmates serving prison terms there,” the DFA said in a statement.

Orcine said two of the inmates were convicted almost two years ago for their involvement in illegal fishing and are scheduled to be released in May 2019 while the other, who was awaiting repatriation, has been in prison since 2014 for illegal transport of cyanide.

The DFA said the Philippine Consulate General in Manado reported that authorities have declared Alert Level II in the immediate vicinity of the volcano and warned citizens to stay outside a two-kilometer danger zone around the crater.

The DFA also said it continues to monitor the situation in North Sulawesi following the eruption of yet another volcano.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) continues to monitor the situation in North Sulawesi in Indonesia following the eruption of another volcano,” the DFA said.

The eruption of Mount Gamalama last Thursday, located 325 kilometers from Manado, occurred a day after Mount Supotan, also in North Sulawesi, erupted. /kga