(Eagle News)–Filipinos in Iran, Libya and Lebanon who wish to come home due to the developments in the Middle East will be assisted by the government.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana made the statement after Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the mandatory repatriation only applies to OFWs in Iraq.
“Personnel to be deployed in the conflict areas will exclusively assist in the repatriation and humanitarian operations,” Lorenzana said.
Lorenzana said the Philippine government will also deploy air assets including C-130 and C-295.
Two battalion of soldiers, he said, will also be deployed to assist in the rescue of affected Filipinos.
He said, however, that these troops will not engage anybody into combat
Tensions in the Middle East intensified after a US airstrike killed a top Iranian military official Qassem Soleimani in Iraq.
Iran, in retaliation, fired missiles at US targets in Iraq.
US President Donald Trump later said Iran appeared to have stood down since no Americans were killed in the attack.
