DFA places Libya under Alert Level 3

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) urged thousands of migrant Filipino workers in Libya to prepare for possible evacuation as it raised the alert level there following days of factional fighting.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano declared Libya under Alert Level III due to escalating violence that threatens the safety and security of an estimated 3,500 Filipinos working there.

Under Alert Level III, all Filipinos in Libya should start preparations for possible evacuation and all those with valid employment contracts currently on vacation in the Philippines will not be allowed to return, the DFA said.

The DFA is placing on standby rapid response teams to assist the Philippine embassy in Tripoli in evacuating the 1,800 Filipinos in the capital who have been caught in the middle of the fighting that has been raging for more than a week now.

On Monday, the Philippine embassy advised the Filipino community to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary movement due to mounting violence and criminality.

Filipinos who may require assistance are requested to contact the embassy at: +218 91 824 4208 and +218 94 454 1283.

Families of migrant workers in the Philippines may contact the Office of Migrant Workers Affairs at (+632) 834-4996 and [email protected] during office hours and DFA Action Center +632 834-3333 or 834-4997 after office hours.

An agreement on a ceasefire in Tripoli has been reached under the auspices of Ghassan Salame, the top UN official in Libya.

The agreement aims to “end all hostilities, protect civilians, safeguard public and private property.”

The increasing strife in Libya also halted the efforts of the Philippine government to secure the release of three Filipinos kidnapped by an armed group last July.

A member of the high-level delegation created by Malacañang to directly deal with the Libyan government to solve the kidnapping problem revealed a Filipino negotiator was already in Tunis on his way to Libya but was forced to return home as the airport in the African state was closed due to continuing infighting among warring militias.

Last month, President Duterte declared that he was ready to send Philippine Navy frigates to Libya to free the Filipino hostages.

The presidential statement triggered moves in the Navy to coordinate with the DFA in the event Duterte issues an official order for a naval deployment to Libyan waters.

But the President had a change of heart and ordered the creation of a joint task force composed of Cabinet members to work for the release of three Filipinos held by one of the guerrilla factions fighting in Libya. – With Jaime Laude