Press Statement - March 10, 2005
References: Connie Bragas-Regalado, Chairperson, 0927-2157392
Vince Borneo, Information Officer, 0927-7968198 or 259-1145

Save Tarongoy! Fully withdraw Philippine support to US War on Iraq and create stable jobs in the Philippines!

MIGRANTE Sectoral Party Chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado today called on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to immediately take definitive policy actions to save Roberto Theodore Tarongoy being held hostage in Iraq.

"We criticize the Philippine government for refusing to reveal what the current status of negotiations is and what Malacanang has actually done to save Tarongoy and protect the more than 6,500 OFWs working in military installations in Iraq," Bragas-Regalado said.

The MIGRANTE leader also said "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

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

3. Pursue a program to create stable, commensurate and well-paying jobs for our people IN the Philippines."

MIGRANTE also averred that the "seven policy statements aimed to persuade Tarongoy's captors to release him do not reflect any definite action on the part of Malacanang to save his life."

After almost five months in the hands of his Iraqi captors, Tarongoy appeared on Al-Jazeera television shown in Doha, Qatar, as his captors demanded two things: (1) the pullout of 6,500 Filipino workers Iraq and (2) an end to military cooperation between the Philippines and the United States government.

"The Philippine government with its recent policy statements, has actually endangered the life of Tarongoy and other OFWs in Iraq even more," Bragas-Regalado said.

Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo has released to media "the Malacanang policy statement" vis-à-vis Tarongoy and all other OFWs in Iraq: (1) the Philippine government does not allow its workers to go to Iraq and has stamped all Philippine passports with the words "Not Valid For Travel to Iraq" in Arabic and in English; (2) it has obtained the cooperation of governments bordering Iraq not to allow Filipinos transit to Iraq; (3) those individuals who have violated the ban and are already in Iraq are offered assistance to enable them to return to the Philippines; (4) government has started investigating Filipino companies and individuals caught violating the ban; and (5) to Philippine assistance to the US military in Iraq, Romulo said the Philippines no longer has any troops in Iraq after "its small humanitarian contingent" returned to the country on July 19, 2004. He said the Philippines "does not provide any support, including logistics and security support, to US military forces in Iraq."

"These statements just show how government and its policies towards overseas Filipinos' rights and well-being in Iraq is non-existent," Bragas-Regalado said.

"The bulk of the 6,500 Filipino civilians working in Iraq are employed by contractors for US companies and in US military bases - which are legitimate targets of Iraqi rebels. Pres. Macapagal-Arroyo fully withdraw all support to the US War on Iraq to save Robert Tarongoy and secure the lives of all OFWs in the strife-torn country," Bragas-Regalado ended.