Bongbong Marcos vows to bring home remains of Filipina slain near Gaza

Loreta Alacre —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has promised to bring home the remains of the third Filipino killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The Palace revealed in a statement Monday that the President called the family of 49-year-old caregiver Loreta Villarin Alacre on Sunday, assured them of assistance, and told them that the government is doing everything it can to bring home the body of their loved one.

READ: DFA confirms 3rd Filipino death in Hamas attacks

Alacre, who reportedly attended the Nova Music Festival near the Gaza border, was killed as members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7.

READ: OFW never left patient as Hamas came to kill

“May assistance para sa pamilya, pero lahat ng kailangang gawin para maiuwi na (ang iyong kapatid) ay gagawin na muna namin. Iyon lamang, hinihintay muna natin kung ano ‘yung magiging sitwasyon doon sa Israel dahil talagang napakagulo masyado ngayon at sarado lahat,” Marcos told Alacre’s family in a phone call, according to the Palace statement.

(There is assistance for the family, but we will do everything that needs to be done to bring (your sister) home. That’s all, we’re waiting to see what the situation will be like in Israel because it’s really very chaotic right now and everything is closed.)

READ: Bongbong Marcos vows support to families of Filipinos slain in Israel

The President also previously spoke to the families of two other Filipinos who were killed in the war. He described it as the hardest phone calls he had to make as the Chief Executive.

READ: DFA: Rafah border opening crucial for repatriation of Filipinos

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