PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, August 3, expressed his intent to send at least two Philippine Navy frigates to Libya to save the three Filipino engineers abducted by an armed group in the North African nation.
In a speech delivered in Bukidnon, Duterte said he would raise the possible deployment of warships in Libya in a command conference with military and police officials scheduled on August 7.
Duterte revealed his plan after South Korea had dispatched its special forces to secure the release of a South Korean national kidnapped along with three Filipinos in Libya.
"The Korean has... Nag-padala [sila] ng barko doon [sa Libya]. You know, I'm not joking, mag-padala din ako 'pag they begin to hurt the Filipinos doon, Mag-padala ako ng frigate," the President said.
(The Korean has... They have sent their warship there [in Libya]. You know, I'm not joking, I will also send one, if they begin to hurt the Filipinos there. I will deploy a frigate there.)
"Baka mag-padala din ako [ng] frigate. Padala ako ng dalawa doon. Yawa kayo. I will decide between... May command conference ako on August 7. After the Cabinet meeting, I’ll bring it up," he added.
(I will perhaps send a frigate. I will send two. You're evils. I will decide between... I will have a command conference on August 7. After the Cabinet meeting, I'll bring it up.)
On July 6, three Filipino engineers and a South Korean were kidnapped by armed men off a water project site in Western Libya.
A video of the abducted four men asking for their governments for help has circulated on social media on Thursday, August 2.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has assured that the Philippine government is doing everything to ensure the kidnapped Filpinos "safe and early release."
The Philippine government has long been plagued by piracy and ransom kidnappings of Filipinos, specifically in Africa, because of its lack of capacity to monitor crimes at sea.
Duterte said he would instruct the state forces to raise the standards to address the piracy problems.
"Dito sa command conference, I want you to make a modality raising the bar higher. I cannot swallow yung mga pirate diyan. Pasabugin ninyo pati 'yung hostage," he said.
(Here in the command conference, I want you to make a modality raising the bar higher. I cannot swallow the pirates there. Bomb them along with hostages.)
"Ayaw niyong i-release ang hostage? Sige, sama na kayo sa hostage. Kaya huwag kayong magpa-hostage," he added.
(You don't want to release the hostage. Fine, go with the hostage. So everybody must make sure that you will not be abducted.) (SunStar Philippines)