Filipino UN peacekeepers lauded after Golan stint

By: Nikko Dizon - 11 years ago

In this image taken from video obtained from the Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, a man reads a statement as four abducted Filipino UN peacekeepers are seen in Daraa, Syria, on Thursday, May 9, 2013. AP FILE PHOTO

“Filipinos, good!”

Caught between life and death in war-torn Syria, this was the last thing the Filipino United Nations peacekeepers expected to hear from the Syrian rebels who abducted them twice early this year.

In all, 25 soldiers from the 332-strong 6th Philippine contingent to Golan Heights were abducted by Syrian rebels in two separate incidents in March.

Both times, the company commanders of the two groups recalled on Wednesday, they were treated well by their abductors. Not one of them received a push, a slap, or a kick from the Syrian rebels.

Capt. Arlis Jardin said he and three other soldiers were even able to ask for chicken and rice from their captors. He said they could hardly eat the food the Syrian rebels first gave them.

The Golan Heights peacekeepers and the 117-strong Philippine contingent to Liberia on Wednesday received their UN Service Medals from Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista at the military’s general headquarters.

While the peacekeepers in Golan Heights attracted international attention because of the two abductions, the Filipino peacekeepers who spent 17 months in Liberia also made a huge sacrifice.

Ambassadors of peace

“You are our country’s ambassadors of peace and security … Thank you for representing our country … You are a source of national pride,” Bautista said in brief remarks to the troops.

Peacekeeper Army Sgt. Benson Angot died of malaria in October while on duty in Liberia. His wife, Rodalyn, received the UN Service Award from Bautista on Wednesday. She wiped her tears while the military chief asked softly how she and her children were holding up.

“I never doubted the capability of our soldiers and we are very proud of them,” Bautista told reporters after the ceremony.

Bautista admitted he was very concerned when the peacekeepers were abducted in March, and then in May. But despite the anxiety, Bautista said he was “confident” that the soldiers knew what to do in such situations.

The Army boys proved Bautista right.

Maj. Dominador Valerio, the commander of the 21-strong company that was abducted while on a supply run to Al Jamiah village on March 6, said he reminded everyone that they were in Syria as peacekeepers, and would remain peacekeepers even under captivity.

They were all unarmed. Valerio said he told everyone not to try to disarm any of the rebels.

Valerio told them that at that point, they should leave their fate to God.

“It was the best thing to do for us to be able to accept the situation and whatever was going to happen to us. Our faith gave us strength,” Valerio said.

Video message

In their group, it was Lt. Col. Michael Mangahan, a medical officer, and Capt. Cyrus Meneses who were instructed by the rebels to send a message in the video clip that was seen by the world.

Valerio admitted they all thought they would be killed after the video was made, as they had all seen in terrorist kidnappings before.

“But this was when I was able to prove to myself that the Filipinos are very friendly people. We were able to get their (rebels’) sympathy. In fact, when we were released, they were all sad that we were leaving because we were kind to them,” Valerio said.

During their five-day captivity, Valerio said the Syrian rebels began talking to them about why they were fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The Filipino peacekeepers gave their full attention, and showed the rebels they understood them.

And then the conversations turned to their families.

“They talked about their children and we talked about our families. That was actually what made them comfortable with us,” Valerio said.

“They even told us, ‘Filipinos, good!’ That’s how they look at us,” Valerio added.

Family photos

It was also the family photos that Jardin and his men kept in their wallets that saved their lives.

The rebels seized Jardin and his companions on May 7, and were released on May 12.

“When they saw that we had our family pictures with us, the rebels started talking about how close they were to their families as well. They told us that the fight they were waging was for their families,” Jardin said.

Jardin said that because the 21 abducted earlier were not harmed, he did not think that their abductors would hurt them either.

Jardin added that he also explained to the rebels their role as UN peacekeepers.

“Of course, at first there was pressure because they were saying that it was against their will to take us. But I told them we were Filipino soldiers who were there for a certain mandate, that is for the peace agreement between Syria and Israel,” Jardin said.

Both Jardin and Valerio said the rebels told them they were being taken to a safe place because of the fighting that was going on, and that they were not being abducted.

Valerio said what truly terrified him was the noise of the fighting around them.

“It’s really scary because you don’t know where the artillery [shells] would land,” Valerio said.

The UN Disengagement Force (UNDOF) negotiated the release of the peacekeepers.

The rebels hugged and kissed the Filipino peacekeepers on both cheeks when they were finally released—an Arab gesture of friendship and acceptance.

Second lives

Jardin and Valerio said they were willing to serve as peacekeepers again despite their harrowing experience. The same goes with their men. Peacekeeping, they said, was part of their duty as soldiers.

In the meantime, they all look forward to spending the holidays with their families.

“This is a very special Christmas to us. We didn’t get to spend Christmas with our families last year. And this is like having a second life now,” Jardin said.