PH exerting effort to ensure safety of Pinoys kidnapped in Libya: DFA

ABDUCTED IN LIBYA. The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that three of the four men in a video calling for assistance from Libya were Filipino technicians abducted by an unidentified armed group last month. (Screengrab from The Libya Observer FB page via PNA)

MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday confirmed that three of the four men in a video calling for assistance from Libya were Filipino technicians abducted by an unidentified armed group last month.

“We have seen the video, and the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli confirmed that indeed ‘yong tatlong lalaki na nandoon sa video were the three Filipino technicians kidnapped last month,” DFA Assistant Secretary and Spokesperson Elmer Cato told reporters in an interview.

At the same time, he said the government is doing its best to ensure the safety and release of the Filipinos.

“We are glad to see them alive and safe. We’d like to assure their families that we’re doing everything we can to ensure their safe and early release,” he added.

On Thursday morning, a video circulated on social media, in which four men asked their governments for help. One of whom identified himself as a South Korean and the other three as Filipinos, who were working on a water supply project.

The kidnapping was reported a month ago by the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli.

According to Chargé D’affaires Mardomel Melicor, the perpetrators entered the victims’ construction site, located 500 kilometers from the capital, and took five foreigners and four Libyans from their quarters.

The armed men later released one of the foreign workers and all the Libyans.