Abandonment of Tarongoy, Filipinos sneaking into Iraq proof that Gloria does not deserve to lead

The MIGRANTE Sectoral Party today bolstered calls for Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo "to leave Malacanang for abandoning a Filipino held hostage in Iraq; and for not providing safe and stable job opportunities to the people."

"What has Pres. Macapagal-Arroyo done to save the life of accountant Robert Theodore Tarongoy who has been held captive in war-torn Iraq since last year? With the latest reports that at least 2,000 Filipinos sneaked into Iraq shows that this President is not only a cheat. She also generally neglects the safety of the lives and livelihood of Filipinos here and abroad," Migrante Sectoral Party chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado said.

Reports from the Agence France Presse revealed that more than 2,000 Filipino workers have sneaked into Iraq to work in some of the 60 US military camps despite a Philippine government ban imposed last year.

The fate of Tarongoy, who was seized in Baghdad in November 2004, remains unknown. Migrante has gathered that at least 6 Filipinos have been killed, 17 injured and 2 abducted in Iraq.

"The said reports said that on the average, 100 Filipinos leave every month for war-torn Iraq. Like the election cheating scandal tapes, Macapagal-Arroyo's attitude to this fact is just to keep silent. With a so-called government ban to Iraq that is not really implemented and her abandonment of Tarongoy, Arroyo clearly does not deserve to lead the people. She should step out of Malacanang," Bragas-Regalado said.

There are currently about 6,500 Filipino workers in Iraq and the government has offered to repatriate them free of charge as violence continues to escalate in the war-torn country.

Bragas-Regalado also said that "the Philippine government should immediately do the following things to save Tarongoy and take steps to assure the safety of the all the other OFWs in war-torn Iraq:

1. Immediately embark on a full withdrawal of support to the US War on Iraq to save Tarongoy and protect the lives of all OFWs in the territory

2. Allocate government funds to establish an emergency repatriation fund that is sourced from the national treasury