MANILA — The Philippine government on Tuesday denied that four more Filipino workers were kidnapped in Libya.
Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said embassy officials were able to contact one of the four, who are working as nurses, and said they were all “safe.”
“A local friend concerned of their safety moved them to a safer accommodation,” Jose said in a press briefing. “The reports are false. Our embassy has verified this information.”
Libya is in a state of civil war and eight Filipinos have been captured by militants in separate kidnappings in the last two months. Their whereabouts are still unknown.
Manila has declared Libya unsafe for Philippine travelers and called on all remaining Philippine nationals there to leave and avail of mandatory evacuation that it is offering.