Philippine Ambassador Ezzedin Tago traveled to Sanaa recently following a bombing incident in Yemen where seven Filipinos died and a few others were injured.

Tago proceeded to the survivors’ place of residence at the Ministry of Defense (MOD) hospital immediately after arriving in Sanaa and met with 12 employees who were on duty and the 17 who were off-duty. The Filipino envoy, who is based in the Saudi capital, is also a non-resident Philippine ambassador to Yemen.

“I assured them of assistance in making representations with the MOF where they work for repatriation,” he said.

He added that the MOD hospital will shoulder the cost of repatriation of its nationals who survived, as well as the remains of those died in the bombing attack.

Tago also appealed to government officials like Gen. Ali Mohsin Saleh, presidential adviser on security and defense, who expressed sadness over the bombing incident and sympathy for the Filipino victims and their families.

Tago also said that Ahmed Al-Ansi, minister of public health, also expressed his sincere condolences for the victims, which include Ruben Valenzuela, a colleague he had previously worked with for years at the Thawra Hospital.

He also met with Yemeni Interior Minister Maj. Gen. Abdel Qader Qahtan, who also conveyed condolences to the families of the Filipino victims and expressed readiness to continue helping the mission and the Philippine Consulate in Sanaa.

Tago thanked him for the assistance extended over the years for Filipinos who had overstaying penalties in Yemen.

Tago also met with Joint Chief Staff, Gen. Ahmad Al-Ashwal, who also expressed sympathy with the victims and their families.

“We also discussed various issues relating to the incident and the current situation in Yemen,” said Tago, who also made an ocular inspection of the hospital building located in the same complex as the Ministry of Defense.

Moreover, Tago met with Ali Muthana Hassan, vice minister of Foreign Affairs, who also conveyed his sincerest sympathy to the victims’ families.

They also discussed matters of mutual interest, including cooperation in the fight against terrorism.