Gov’t identifies 52 Filipinos in Algeria crisis

MANILA-- Fifty-two Filipinos that were involved in the recently-concluded hostage crisis in Algeria are safe based on reports received by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) from the Philippine Embassy in London and the team it sent to the African nation.

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez the 52 accounted Filipinos include the 39 who were able to survive the crisis inside the gas complex. They are expected to arrive in the country around Sunday afternoon.

However, Hernandez said the Philippine contingent in Algeria is continuously looking for other Filipinos that could have been involved in the incident.

“We continue to coordinate with Algerian authorities and employers of the Filipinos to determine the whereabouts and conditions of other Filipinos working in the gas plant in Algeria,” he said.

Also, the department noted that four others are still in the Mercure Hotel in Algiers, and another four in Al Azhar Clinic also in Algiers.

Three others are still in the process of being arranged repatriation from London, one bound for Germany, and another one to Canada.

“In all the stops, they were assisted by our Embassy and consulate officials ensuring their welfare and safety,” said Hernandez.

On Saturday, Algerian forces assaulted the gas plant to end the four-day crisis, which came after an Islamist group seized the facility and took hundreds of workers including foreigners as hostages. (HDT/Sunnex)