RP to send 320 peacekeepers to Liberia, Haiti

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is to send another batch of soldiers to Liberia and Haiti for peacekeeping missions of the United Nations.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Alexander Yano said 320 soldiers would be sent for deployment by the UN to its peacekeeping missions next month.

Yano said the soldiers would serve for six months, with 165 led by Lt. Col. Danilo Pamonag leaving for the troubled West African nation on Aug. 1 and 155 others led by Lt. Col. Raymundo Elefante heading for the Caribbean in mid-August.

Yano led the formal sending off ceremonies of the troops yesterday and told the peacekeepers to “behave well, as their actions would reflect on the AFP, and because they would be sent there as ambassadors of goodwill.”

“You Filipino peacekeepers are being sent not only as soldiers, but more importantly as emissaries of goodwill of hope,” he said.

Liberia, a West African nation, is struggling to move forward after years of conflict brought about by the diamond trade. Haiti, a Caribbean country, is still torn by factional fighting and anarchy.

The Philippines, as part of its commitment to UN peacekeeping efforts, have sent troops to Haiti since 2004 and to Liberia since 2003.   – James Mananghaya