AFP grateful for acknowledgment of Pinoy troops’ courage

MANILA, Philippines - The military welcomed the statement of United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) chief Lt. Gen. Iqbal Singh Singha that Filipino peacekeepers, whom he previously accused of cowardice, acted bravely during the crisis in Golan Heights.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. is grateful that the UNDOF chief acknowledged the Filipino troops’ courage.

“Thank you very much,” Catapang said of Singha’s statement when reporters sought his comment in Sulu yesterday.

“We all have our interests – national interest, the United Nations interest, so I think all is well that ends well. Bati-bati na lang muna tayo (Let’s just be on good terms with one another),” he added.

Last August, 75 Filipino peacekeepers in Golan Heights figured in a standoff after they were surrounded by hundreds of Syrian rebels.

Before the standoff, Syrian militants held hostage 45 Fijian soldiers who agreed to surrender their firearms. The Fijians were freed two weeks later.

The Philippine military claimed that Singha ordered Filipino peacekeepers to surrender to Syrian rebels to ensure the safe release of the Fijian troops.  

Believing that surrendering their firearms would make them helpless against the rebels, the Filipino peacekeepers defied the order until they were rescued by other UN troopers.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines then called for an investigation on Singha for supposedly putting the lives of Filipino soldiers at risk.

Responding to the allegations, Singha said the escape was “an act of cowardice” that endangered the lives of the Fijian hostages. He also slammed the Philippine contingent for deserting their posts and for breaking the chain of command.

But Singha appeared to sing a different tune last Thursday when he acknowledged the Filipino contingent’s bravery during the crisis.

In a briefing to the UN Security Council in New York, Singha said the Filipino and Fijian peacekeepers “bravely faced the situation, and exhibited raw courage, resilience and patience.”

“Despite such challenges, it is to the credit of the senior management and peacekeepers from the troop-contributing countries that in all incidents of detention since last year, peacekeepers have been released safely,” he added.

The Filipino peacekeepers who figured in the standoff were sent home last month. The Philippines has since suspended the deployment of peacekeepers to Golan Heights due to the deteriorating security situation in the area.