Gov’t offers flights home from Egypt

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has raised the crisis alert level in Egypt to 3 as the civil unrest there worsened following a violent crackdown on protesting supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.

This means the government will be initiating a voluntary repatriation and suspending the deployment of new workers and the return of Egypt-based Philippine citizens to the Arab country.

At least 270 people—protesters, police officers and journalists—were killed after Egyptian security forces clamped down on protesters camped out on the streets of Cairo on Wednesday.

DFA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez said Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario decided to raise the crisis alert in Egypt early yesterday, citing the escalating civil unrest and insecurity as well as the declaration of a monthlong state of emergency and on the recommendation of the Philippine ambassador to Egypt, Claro Cristobal.

Under alert level 3, the government will fly home Filipinos who wish to leave Egypt. It will also suspend the deployment of new workers and the return of Egypt-based Filipinos who may be out of the country.