MANILA - The military has placed
on standby three C-130 cargo aircraft for the evacuation
of 118 Filipinos in Iraq, Armed Forces chief General
Benjamin Defensor said on Friday.
Interviewed at
the turnover ceremonies for the new Philippine Air Force
chief, Defensor said they are just waiting for the
government's go-signal to start actual evacuation of the
Filipino workers there. "We are ready to fetch them once
the order is given," Defensor said.
"We will use
our C130s, about two or three. It should have been four
but one is grounded," Defensor added. On Wednesday,
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the evacuation
of Filipinos in Iraq as another US strike against the
country becomes imminent.
Arroyo even appointed
just-resigned Armed Forces chief General Roy Cimatu as
Middle East crisis manger, designating him as not only
in charge of the evacuation but also of overseeing "all
consequences resulting from a possible US attack,"
including the impact on the Philippines' oil supply.
It will also be Cimatu who would be give the
go-signal if and when evacuation of the Filipinos in
Iraq will be necessary as well as other Filipinos
working in other Middle East countries.
Defensor
estimates the number of Filipinos in Middle East at 1.5
million.
During the 1991 US-Iraq war, Filipinos
in countries around Iraq were brought to a safe country
in the region.
