RIYADH, 8 May 2004 — With Ambassador Bahnarim Guinomla back to his post after a prolonged absence, will community activities soon resume at the Philippine Embassy?
Community leaders in this capital city, who have been aching to ask this question, now have an answer from the ambassador himself: “Tingnan natin, baka umpisahan (we’ll see, we might start) this coming Independence Day, magkaroon tayo ng mga (we will hold some) activities.”
Guinomla said his decision to halt activities at the embassy was nothing arbitrary but based on genuine security concerns.
“(B)ut that’s not a permanent ban. We don’t own the embassy; it belongs to our people,” he said in an interview with Arab News and The Filipino Channel on Wednesday, a day after his return from Manila for what diplomats call “consultations.”
Guinomla was recalled to Manila in February reportedly to answer complaints raised by some community organizations, one of which was his alleged refusal to open the embassy’s premises even for worthwhile activities.
Guinomla, however, said there was no issue to answer. Speaking in Tagalog, he said he was made to stay longer in Manila only because some of the people he wanted to have “consultations” with were not readily available. He said it is a practice in the diplomatic service that foreign service officers are called to the home office when needed to shed light on pressing matters.
“So, that’s all there is to it, wala namang malaking problema (no big deal),” he said. He admitted, however, that the embassy needs to strengthen its relations with the community.
“Now, probably what we need to do is to intensify more of our efforts to be able to strengthen the cooperation between the mission, the Philippine Embassy, and our community,” he said, adding that Independence Day is just a little more than a month away.
At the same time, he asked community organization leaders for more understanding in view of the recent terror attacks.
He said the embassy’s instructions from the home office is that in case of threats, security measures should have to be immediately put in place “so that we can protect our people.”
“These policies are for the good of all of us … So, I hope these things will be taken in that light…,” he said in Taglish.
Guinomla promised to begin reach out more to community groups as soon as the election activities are over.
