Gov’t may pull out peacekeepers in Liberia

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino wants a thorough assessment of the situation of Filipino peacekeepers in the Golan Heights and Liberia amid security and health threats in those areas, a Palace official said yesterday.

“I had a chance to speak to the President about this lately and he said we’re still trying to see what are the available protection for our soldiers who are there,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over radio dzRB yesterday.

The Department of National Defense reportedly recommended the pullout of Filipinos in the Golan Heights because of increasing tension in the Middle East and in Liberia due to the spread of Ebola virus.

A Filipino peacekeeper was recently injured in the Golan Heights. In 2013, Syrian rebels seized 25 members of the Philippine contingent to the Golan Heights in two separate incidents and 25 others were injured from mortar rounds fired by Syrian rebels.

Meanwhile in Liberia, UN peacekeepers have been ordered to restrict their movements to avoid the Ebola virus, which has killed over 1,000 people in West Africa.

Valte said her impression was the President has yet to decide whether to bring home the peacekeepers.

She said the President’s paramount concern is to ensure the safety of Filipino soldiers deployed overseas for peacekeeping missions.

Valte said Aquino wants to know if “available safeguards are in place” for Filipino peacekeepers in the Golan Heights.

She said the Department of Foreign Affairs is coordinating with the United Nations regarding concerns on the country’s peacekeepers.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Friday said the deployment of Filipino peacekeepers should be discontinued if they are not given proper equipment and tools for their protection.

There are 115 Filipino peacekeepers in Liberia, 332 peacekeepers in the Golan Heights and 157 in Haiti.

Gazmin said that the recommendation to pull out Filipino peacekeepers did not cover the operations in Haiti.