Phl to abide by no-fly-zone imposed on Libya

MANILA, Philippines -  The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday that the Philippines will abide by the “no-fly zone” edict issued by the United Nations Security council over Libyan airspace in the face of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s defiant response to world leaders’ plan to take military action against him.

Lawyer Ed Malaya, DFA spokesman, said they saw no adverse effect this course of action will have on Filipinos still in Libya, whose number has been drastically reduced as a result of the mass evacuation in the past weeks.

“As a member of the UN and a signatory of the UN Charter, the Philippines abides by the decision of the UN Security Council in imposing a no-fly zone over Libyan airspace,” Malaya said.

“This UN action is a humanitarian measure which is meant to safeguard the civilian population in Benghazi and other contested areas of said country,” he added.

“Recent developments will not likely adversely affect Filipinos, as the bulk of our nationals already exited Libya through the combined efforts of DFA, DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) and their counterparts,” Malaya claimed.

He said that there are many Filipino nurses who have remained in Libya, but their safety was not a matter of concern since they were staying in hospitals, which are protected areas.

The DFA stressed that Ambassador Alejandrino Vicente and the embassy staff have remained in Tripoli to take care of the country’s interests and ensure the safety of Filipinos who chose to remain for personal reasons.