BAGAMAN hindi pa nakikita ng pamahalaan ang pangangailangan na ilikas ang mga Pilipino na naiipit ngayon sa girian sa Israel, nagpahayag ng kahandaan ang Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) na magsagawa ng evacuation operation para sa mga apektadong kababayan.

Sa press briefing sa Malakanyang, sinabi ni AFP Spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar na nakapaghanda na sila ng plano sakali’t tawagin sila para tumulong sa humanitarian mission na may military aircrafts, C-130 at C-295, bilang air transport.

“I am here to assure everybody that with the guidance of our President, his Excellency Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., the Armed Forces of the Philippines is prepared to execute evacuation operation should there be a need for that,” ayon kay Aguilar.

Winika pa nito na ang operasyon ay alinsunod sa whole-of-nation approach para masiguro ang kaligtasan ng mga apektadong overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at Filipino community sa Israel.

“The Adana Airport in Turkey has been identified as a temporary safe haven for Filipinos who will be evacuated in case hostilities escalate,” ani Aguilar.

“We have already identified Adana airport sa Turkey as a temporary safe haven. From there, we will be shuttling Filipinos who are affected by the conflict with the identification of the Ben Gurion airport, but all of these will only be executed based on the recommendation or the instruction coming from other government authorities,” dagdag na pahayag nito.

Samantala, sinabi naman ni Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega na hanggang sa ngayon ay wala pang repatriation requests mula sa mga Pinoy sa Israel.

Binigyang diin ni de Vega na gumagamit sila ng diplomatic approach para payagan ang mga Pilipino at kanilang pamilya na makatawid sa borders.

(CHRISTIAN DALE)