FILIPINO DRIVER BECOMES RP'S FIRST CASUALTY IN IRAQI WAR
MANILA, May 1, 2004 (STAR) By Marichu Villanueva - A Filipino truck driver has been killed in Iraq, becoming the country’s first casualty in the war-ravaged country, President Arroyo announced yesterday.Despite the incident, Mrs. Arroyo said the government won’t pull out its 41 soldiers, police and health workers from central Iraq, or order the evacuation of about 4,000 contract workers in the war-torn country.
"This incident does not call for the mass evacuation of our workers, although we are prepared for a calibrated response to any emergent contingencies," Mrs. Arroyo said.
Mrs. Arroyo added she is not inclined to order the pullout of the Philippine humanitarian contingent in Iraq since they are actively involved in ensuring the safety and security of other Filipinos there.
The President made the announcement after she was informed by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the "first Filipino casualty in the Iraq conflict," breaking her "zero casualty" target under the contingency plans of the Iraq team set up by Ambassador Roy Cimatu.
"He was a private employee who died in an attack while traveling with other nationals," Mrs. Arroyo said in a statement.
She gave no other details, saying the government is still trying to confirm the victim’s identity.
"His identity is being confirmed so that the next of kin can be immediately informed," she said before being informed that the victim was initially identified as Rodrigo Reyes, a 53-year-old truck driver from Tanay, Rizal.
Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the President has already issued instructions to the DFA and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to extend all the necessary assistance to the victim’s family.
"The President has ordered the DFA to extend all possible assistance to the family of the fatality, including, if needed, allowing the next of kin to go to Kuwait to fetch the remains of the fatality."
Malacañang gathered Reyes was a private employee of a catering/trading firm and was recruited to work in Iraq through "direct hiring" by civilian contractors serving the needs of the US-led coalition forces engaged in the post-war reconstruction of Iraq.
DFA spokeswoman Julia Heidemann told reporters Reyes was killed when a convoy of vans owned by a subsidiary of US contractor Kellogg Brown and Root was attacked by suspected insurgents Thursday while on its way back to Kuwait.
The vans had just delivered supplies to a military camp across the border, she said.
"It was a roadside bombing. The insurgents may have planted explosive devices on the ground. They also opened fire using rocket-propelled grenades," Heidemann said. "There were two other (fatalities), both Ukrainian nationals," she said, without giving their names.
Heidemann said all three victims "were airlifted to a military hospital but were declared dead on arrival." Cimatu reported the area where the attack occurred is a "hot zone" where 80 percent of the attacks against US-led coalition forces usually occur.
At least 4,000 Filipinos are employed by private contractors engaged by the US-led occupation forces, while 43 soldiers and eight policemen form part of the occupation force. Some members of the Filipino security forces had sustained minor injuries in previous attacks.
"Filipinos are in the line of fire helping the Iraqi people rebuild their nation," Mrs. Arroyo said. "This incident does not call for the mass evacuation of our workers, although we are prepared for a calibrated response to any emergency."
Mrs. Arroyo said early last month that the mounting violence in Iraq had prompted her government to study whether to withdraw its troops — but she later said they’d stay indefinitely. She has, however, suspended the dispatch of reinforcements. She also urged Filipinos in the region to register with the Philippines embassy in Baghdad.
The President ordered Filipino civilians in Iraq to "keep out of harm’s way by staying put in their camps for the time being" and to "exercise caution and avoid straying out to dangerous zones." She also directed Cimatu and the Iraq Team "to draw up a hazard map" to inform the Filipino workers in Iraq of the "risk areas" to avoid. Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. said it is now high time for the government to review its policy on Iraq.
Guingona pointed out the Philippines has already accomplished its objective of showing to the world its commitment to the US-led coalition of the willing.
"The reason why they’re there is we wanted to give signal to the world that we are allied with the United States in the fight against terror. Now it’s a question of rebuilding and giving back to Iraq its sovereignty and dignity. It’s high time that we review our policy," the former foreign affairs secretary said.
Sen. Manuel Villar, chairman of the Senate committee on foreign relations, said the incident was "unfortunate." "I urge our officials to intensify (their) efforts in listing up of Filipinos working in Iraq and ensure their protection and safety. (There) may be time to review if there is a need to repatriate Filipino workers in Iraq."
Villar earlier called on the President to reconsider her decision to maintain the Philippine peacekeeping contingent in the war-torn country. He said the tragic incident came after a group of 48 migrant workers arrived home from Iraq.
"(They) arrived in Manila on their own because they fear for their lives and could no longer wait if the government will repatriate them or not," Villar pointed out.
Opposition presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. also issued a concrete statement over the incident. Poe said Filipino workers cannot be prevented from seeking employment opportunities despite the danger on their lives.
He also stressed the President should no longer send additional troops in the war torn country. — With reports from Marvin Sy, Nikko Dizon, AFP
Reported by: Sol Jose Vanzi
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