3 Pinoys affected by London riots

MANILA, Philippines - At least three Filipinos were affected by the riots in London, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario reported yesterday.

Del Rosario told a House budget hearing that one Filipino “was injured and brought to the hospital, but he’s okay.”

He said another male Filipino lost his car to rioters, while a Filipina’s shop was vandalized “but no harm has come to her.”

He said the victims “did not want to be identified in order not to unduly alarm their relatives here.”

“We are closely monitoring the situation and will help those who need help,” he said.

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said the glass door and windows of the Filipino store Adele Superstore were broken.

“No one was hurt and nothing was stolen,” he said.

He added that the Filipino, who lost his car, was not hurt.

Hernandez on Wednesday confirmed that a Filipino was mugged on Monday by some rioters on his way home from work.

He said the overseas Filipino worker sustained minor injuries and was declared out of danger. The Filipino is recovering after he was treated at a hospital, he said.

“He was an outpatient case. He has reported the incident to the police,” Hernandez said, adding that the family of victim here has been informed of the incident.

The Philippine embassy in London on Tuesday issued an advisory to the Filipino community in the United Kingdom to be vigilant and to exercise due caution amid the riots that occurred around London and in other UK cities over the past days.

“The embassy urges all Filipinos to stay away from high street areas, to avoid large gatherings and to avoid joining or going to places of riots or get involved in any public disturbance,” Charge d’Affaires Reynaldo Catapang said.

Embassy officials also called on Filipinos to report to the embassy or local police any information on their countrymen who may have been injured or seriously affected by the riots.

It has also activated a round-the-clock monitoring team to continuously ascertain the situation.

British Ambassador Stephen Lillie assured the Philippines that the British government is doing its best to ensure the safety of Filipinos in London.

Filipinos expressed shock over riots and looting incidents in key areas of the capital and other UK cities, disrupting the normal way of life in their communities.

Gene Alcantara, who has been living with his family in the Queensway area in London for more than 30 years, told The STAR over the phone that although this was not the first time he witnessed massive riots, recent incidents were different, especially because a majority of the participants are young people.

“They had a small riot near our place but they dispersed shortly and moved to another place. There were about 150 young people who looted the place,” he said.

The British Broadcasting Co. reported that custody centers in London are filled with people arrested on suspicion of being involved in the violence. - Jess Diaz, Pia Lee-Brago, James Mananghaya