Policy on Iraq stays — Palace

The government’s policy of helping US-led coalition forces in the post-war reconstruction of Iraq has not changed despite the death of another Filipino worker in the spiraling violence there, Malacañang said yesterday.

At the same time, the administration reiterated its offer to help Filipino civilians in Iraq return home after a fourth Filipino died since US-led forces invaded Iraq in 2003.

Saddened by the latest turmoil, President Arroyo extended her condolences to the family of the slain overseas Filipino worker (OFW) whose identity has yet to be established.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said there is no change in the Philippine government’s policy in its engagement in the Middle Eastern country.

A team of officials there had already put in place a system for Filipinos to leave, Bunye said, adding that some 200 Filipino workers had taken up the offer to be repatriated over the past weeks.

"We are deeply saddened because our countryman was victimized in this bombing that also involved other nationals," Bunye said.

"The Philippine government has been encouraging our civilian workers to come home, if they feel they are in danger," he said.

There are some 3,000 civilian Filipino workers stationed mostly in US military installations in Iraq and 51 Filipino troops serving with occupation forces.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed yesterday that a Filipino was among the 13 people killed when a convoy of General Electric Co. contractors came under attack Monday near Baghdad’s busy Tahrir Square.

DFA spokeswoman Julia Heidemann said no one can confirm yet the identity of the male Filipino victim because his body was burned beyond recognition.

She said the body has to undergo forensic examination, most likely involving a check on his dental records.

However, reports coming from Baghdad identified the fatality as Raul Carlos Flores, 36, reportedly a native of San Fernando, La Union who is married with two children.

Isias Begonia, a spokesman for the Philippine mission to Iraq, also could not identify the victim.

"It was confirmed that a Filipino has died, but the name of the victim and other details are not yet available," Begonia said, citing information given by US officials.

Begonia said the Philippine charge d’affaires in Baghdad, Eric Endaya, was expected to meet with coalition and General Electric officials later yesterday to get more details about the Filipino victim.

The first Filipino caught in violence in Iraq was Ranilo Buenaventura, who worked as a secretary for the Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq.

Rodrigo Reyes, a truck driver, was killed while on his way to Kuwait from Camp Anaconda in Balad.

The third victim was Raymon Natividad, a warehouse worker in Camp Anaconda.

Heidemann urged all Filipinos in Iraq to register with the embassy there to make it easier for officials to account for them.

Even with a temporary ban on the deployment of workers to Iraq, the Philippine government has been having a hard time accounting for all its nationals there because a significant number of Filipinos have reportedly entered the country from neighboring countries.

Mrs. Arroyo is a staunch ally of US President George W. Bush and was among the first Asian leaders to express her support for the US-led invasion of Iraq.

The government last week said it may however pull out its troops from Iraq when an interim government comes to power at the end of the month.

In a radio interview, Bunye said the Philippine government has already assisted in the repatriation of 215 OFWs, particularly those working in Camp Anaconda.

"Our Iraq team has slated evacuation plans for those who want to leave," Bunye said. "Relatives of Filipinos working in Iraq should be in close contact with them so issues of staying on or leaving can be decided upon."

The President has earlier reiterated her commitment to the restoration of democratic institutions in Iraq as the Philippines acts as presiding chair of the United Nations Security Council.

"In that role, the Philippines has the honor of presiding over the resolution of vital issues surrounding the looming handover of sovereignty in Iraq," the President said in her message during the 106th Philippine Independence Day anniversary last Saturday.

"We are committed to the democratic reconstruction in Iraq and we shall back up this commitment by shepherding a powerful consensus in the UN Security Council," she said.

For her part, Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Albert said yesterday that the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Philippines are firmly committed to a stable and peaceful future for Iraq.

Albert is in Istanbul where she is attending the 31st Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.

She strongly condemned the continuing violence in Iraq, warning this could affect Iraq’s future.

"I have had the opportunity to meet with a number of foreign ministers and heads of delegations and all of them are also committed to the rebuilding of Iraq," Albert said.

France, meanwhile, condemned the latest deadly bombing in Baghdad and said it was trying to confirm reports that one of at least 13 people killed was a French citizen.

"It seems that a French person is among the victims of the attack this morning in Baghdad," foreign ministry spokesman Herve Ladsous said in Paris.

"Our interests’ section is in the process of verifying the victims’ identities. We can’t say any more than that at this stage."

"The coalition told us that two British, one American, one French and one Filipino national were among the dead," the diplomatic source told AFP.

"France condemns in the strongest possible way the deadly attacks of the past few days in Iraq which have notably cost the lives of senior officials in the foreign affairs and education ministries," Ladsous said.

He noted that the French foreign ministry has advised all French citizens to avoid going to Iraq and for those in the country to maintain close contact with the embassy in Baghdad.

Monday’s car bombing was the second in 24 hours following a Sunday strike that killed seven and wounded more than 20, some two weeks before Iraq’s sovereignty is due to be returned.

Shortly afterwards, another civilian contractor was slain in an ambush on a coalition convoy in east Baghdad, while the Turkish embassy here said it was searching for two Turks feared taken hostage.

David Gompert, US overseer Paul Bremer’s senior adviser on Iraq’s national security, warned the violence will continue.

"It’s going to be a while. The terrorists are hardened. They are professionals," Gompert told AFP.

And in Brazil, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the world body would continue helping the Iraqi people, "security conditions permitting."

"The security has to improve," Annan said.

An upsurge in violence ahead of the June 30 power handover has seen government officials, drivers, technicians, police and US soldiers targeted as well as scores of Iraqis. - With Marvin Sy, AFP