MIGRANT WATCH
GMA is Dragging OFWs to War - Migrante 

Another Filipino is taken hostage in Iraq by rebels as a compatriot working as a UN observer is seized in Afghanistan. Migrante International accuses the Macapagal-Arroyo government of dragging Filipino migrant workers to war.

BY DABET CASTAÑEDA
Bulatlat

The recent hostage taking of another Filipino in Iraq proves once more that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) bear the brunt of the consequences of the Macapagal-Arroyo government’s continued support of the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq.   

In a press conference at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Nov. 2, Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas confirmed reports that an unidentified rebel group in war-torn Iraq seized OFW Roberto Tarongoy. 

(Nov. 5 reports, citing Arabic television Al-Jazeera, said Tarongoy and a Nepalese colleague have been released by their captors in Iraq. Nepalese officials confirmed the report. But as of press time, Filipino officials said they have no information about Tarongoy being freed. Tarongoy's wife earlier made a plea for his release.) 

Tarongoy, an accountant from Davao, the city capital of Mindanao, southern Philippines, was seized together with five fellow workers from the food company Saudi Arabian Trading and Contracting Company (Satco). 

Migrante International, an alliance of OFWs worldwide, chided the government for not withdrawing its support to the U.S. war against Iraq despite its drawbacks to OFWs in the Middle East.   

“She’s dragging OFWs to this unjust war,” said Maita Santiago, Migrante secretary general, adding that at least five OFWs have been killed in Iraq with many others wounded.  

The Tarongoy incident comes in the wake of another hostage taking of a Filipino diplomat in Afganistan, another country invaded and occupied by the U.S. in October 2001 Angelito Nayan, a DFA Foreign Service Officer Class IV working with the United Nations (UN) as an electoral observer, was captured at gunpoint by the Jaishul-Muslameen (Army of Muslims) together with two other UN workers on Oct. 28.

The Muslim rebels demanded the Philippine government to also withdraw its support to the U.S. to save Nayan from execution.   

The next Angelo 

Tarongoy is the second OFW to be seized by Iraqi rebels this year following the capture of Angelo dela Cruz, a Filipino truck driver from Saudi Arabia who crossed the boarders of Iraq and was captured by the Iraqi rebels. He was threatened to be beheaded unless the 51-member Philippine contingent in Iraq was recalled.    

President Macapagal-Arroyo caved in to nationwide clamor to pull out the Filipino troops from Iraq to save the life of dela Cruz. She ordered the pull out of the troops a month before their term of duty on Aug. 20.   

Macapagal-Arroyo’s decision was harshly criticized by the U.S.-led coalition against Iraq for the Philippine president’s perceived capitulation to Iraqi rebels.   

Banned

In the middle of the dela Cruz hostage-taking crisis, Macapagal-Arroyo declared on July 10 a ban on OFWs going to Iraq. 

Despite this, however, the DFA announced that around 2,000 Filipinos have sneaked into the war-torn country after the dela Cruz hostage. 

DFA records show there are 2,500 Filipinos in Camp Victory, 1,450 in Camp Anaconda, 1,000 in Camp Cooke (Taji), 400 in Mosul, 300 in Tikrit, 52 in Baquba, 51 in Nasiriya and 300 in Fallujah, Ramadi, Al-Assad and Sadr City.

OFWs in Iraq now total to about 6,053 excluding those who cross the boarders from neighboring countries. 

But as far as Gilbert Arcilla, general manager of the Anglo-European Services, Inc., biggest Philippine recruitment agency for Iraq, is concerned the ban is putting the lives of OFWs in greater danger. 

“Lalong dumadami ang iligal at lalong hindi makontrol ang pagpasok ng mga OFWs sa Iraq” (It has only increased the number of undocumented OFWs and their entry into Iraq cannot be controlled), he said in a telephone interview with Bulatlat. 

Despite the dangers they face, many Filipinos still apply for jobs in Iraq, specifically in U.S. camps there, Arcilla added, saying that 1,500 applicants in his agency are waiting for the ban to be lifted.   

He also said most Filipinos who sneaked into Iraq despite the ban most probably entered the country by land that makes their trips more vulnerable to attacks.  For their safety, he said, chartered planes bring OFWs in U.S. camps in Iraq.  

Information blackout

Santiago also scored the government for implementing another information blackout with regards to the negotiations for the safety release of Tarongoy and Nayan. 

Similar to what transpired during the dela Cruz hostage crisis, the government is mum on its dealing with the captors of Tarongoy and Nayan.  “News blackouts only serve to hide information and suppress people’s actions,” Santiago said adding that the president should be transparent about this pressing issue. Bulatlat

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