22 Filipinos in Libya seek repatriation

A Libyan fighter loyal to the Government of National Accord (GNA) mans a turret mounted on the back of a pickup truck during clashes with forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar south of the capital Tripoli’s suburb of Ain Zara, on April 10, 2019. (Photo by Mahmud TURKIA / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Embassy in Tripoli, Libya announced on Saturday that it had received 22 requests for repatriation of Filipinos, who feared getting caught in the crossfire there.

“We are hoping the number of requests for repatriation would go up. We have received 22 requests so far, including the seven we repatriated a few days ago who have already arrived in Manila,” the embassy said in a statement.

There were “queries from other Filipinos but they are still undecided,” it added.

The embassy issued the statement after a neighborhood in Tripoli, where 200 Filipinos are residing, experienced a rocket attack.

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The Embassy also asked families to convince their kin in Libya to return to the Philippines.

“We understand they are here to provide for their families back home, but the situation here is becoming increasingly dangerous for them. We want to bring our kababayan home alive,” the embassy said.

It has not been easy for the embassy to convince Filipino to leave the Libyan capital

“Despite all our efforts, we just could not convince them to take our offer to bring them home while we still can,” the statement said.

But it added: “We will continue to go where they are, call them, and engage them online. We were at the St. Francis Church yesterday to talk to them but still our kababayan would rather stay.”

/atm