DFA confirms Aquino-Assad aide meeting; denies Assad asylum bid

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines -The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday confirmed that a meeting took place between President Benigno Aquino III and Syrian President Bashar Assad’s political adviser, but denied a newspaper report that Assad was seeking asylum in the Philippines.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, in a text message, confirmed that Bouthaina Shaaban, Assad’s trusted political and media adviser, had asked to “personally deliver a letter” from the Syrian President to Aquino.

“During their short meeting, she discussed a proposal for a political solution in Syria. President Aquino expressed his gratitude for her valuable assistance to date with a request for her continuing help for the over 3,000 Filipinos remaining there for possible repatriation,” Del Rosario said.

Assistant Secretary and DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez told reporters Thursday that the meeting between Aquino and Shaaban took place Tuesday.

INQUIRER.net tried to contact the office of Syria’s Consulate General in the country for more details but no one was available for comment.

In the press briefing, Hernandez said that the meeting between Aquino and Shaaban neither  involved discussions about Assad’s reported bid to seek asylum in the country nor requests for financial assistance

“There is no truth to that report that the President Bashar Assad is seeking asylum in the Philippines,” Hernandez said, when pressed by reporters on a newspaper report saying that among the solutions being explored by Syria are asylum for Assad in the Philippines or its request for financial assistance.

Hernandez noted that Shaaban’s visit was part of Syria’s effort to seek support from the international community on their proposed solutions to address the crisis in Syria.

“It’s part of their campaign to the international community, it’s part of an effort to let the international community know what they would like to happen as far as addressing the crisis in Syria is concerned,” he said.

Hernandez noted how Assad’s regime had been beneficial in expediting the repatriation of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) since the Philippine government imposed a forced repatriation of its citizens from Syria due to escalating tensions there.

Del Rosario made high level visits to Syria last year and successfully negotiated with Syrian officials for the waiver of penalties and exit visa requirements for the Filipino workers.

Since April last year, a total of 3,451 OFWs had been successfully repatriated from the strife-torn country.