GMA condemns killing of Iraqi council chief

President Arroyo condemned "in the strongest terms" yesterday the assassination of Ezzedine Salim, head of Iraq’s interim government, in a suicide car bombing in Baghdad last Monday.

"We join the international community in condemning in the strongest terms the assassination of the chief of the Iraq Governing Council," Mrs. Arroyo said in a statement.

While worried over the attack’s effects on the "restoration of normalcy and democratic government in Iraq," the President reiterated her "commitment to extend support and assistance to the Iraqi people at a time when they need it most."

Mrs. Arroyo has been under increasing pressure to bring home the 51 soldiers and police officers that represent the country’s token peacekeeping contribution to the US-led occupation force in Iraq.

But after the death of another Filipino civilian in a mortar attack on a US military base by Iraqi insurgents, the President has allowed the voluntary "repatriation" of the over 4,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Iraq.

"We shall protect our nationals who opt to stay in Iraq and repatriate those who wish to come home," she said.

Upon the recommendation of special envoy Roy Cimatu, head of the Team Iraq task force, Mrs. Arroyo also suspended the deployment of new OFWs, especially those intending to work as drivers, to Iraq. — Marichu Villanueva, AFP