MANILA/COTABATO CITY, 18 Sept. — The Philippines suspended yesterday the evacuation of Filipino workers from Iraq after an Iraqi diplomat assailed its earlier order for them to leave that embattled country.
"At this point, we are holding the evacuation. We are interrupting the evacuation and we will look at the developments and make a decision two days from now," President Gloria Arroyo told reporters.
The Department of Foreign Affairs last week ordered 118 Filipinos working in Iraq to evacuate because of what it said then were mounting signs of a US attack to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. The Iraqi Embassy’s charge d’affaires in Manila, Samir Masih Bolus, said he was surprised by the evacuation order and a premature evacuation from his country was tantamount to "encouraging war to erupt."
Arroyo made no reference to Bolus’s remarks.
Arroyo’s latest flip-flop came amid criticisms over her government’s offer for use of Philippine airspace by US troops in their war against Iraq, even without Washington’s making a request.
On Monday and yesterday, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) warned Manila that its "hasty decision" in giving all out support to the US war plan against Iraqi could place Filipino nationals in the Middle East in trouble.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu urged Arroyo "to slow down" to think abou the political and economic implications her action.
Kabalu said the government’s unnecessary belligerence could lead to the displacement of tens of thousands of Filipinos from the Middle East, aggravating the crisis caused by the deportation of Filipinos from Malaysia.
Arroyo has backed the United States’ call for the United Nations to force Iraq to disarm or face military action. "The Philippines supports the case brought by the United States against Iraq before the UN General Assembly. The UN Security Council should give these charges most urgent and serious consideration," Arroyo said in a statement.
Arroyo added: "Consistent with our national interest and in accordance with our Constitution, the Philippines is prepared to extend political, security and humanitarian assistance to the United States in the pursuit of its most vital interests, which coincide with our own vital interests, to defeat terrorism."
The Philippines has allowed US forces to use its ports and airspace in their military campaign against Afghanistan but Manila officials said this policy would not necessarily apply if Washington brought the war to Iraq.
According to the latest official count, 147 Filipinos are residents in Iraq. They include embassy staff, those working in UN offices and other private offices.
The 118 ordered to evacuate were non-essential embassy personnel and their dependents, some workers including security guards, and Filipinos, mostly women, married to Iraqi nationals.
