(Eagle News) — Malacanang expressed sadness over reports that 14 Filipinos were killed in a hotel fire in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, saying it is working with Iraqi authorities to bring home the remains of those killed in the tragedy.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said it has already dispatched personnel, through the help of the United Nations, to go to the site and assess what government help could be extended, according to Undersecretary Manuel Quezon of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office in a radio interview.
“We are very sad about this. It’s a terrible way to die. Marami sila and it was, I believe, in a massage center,” Quezon said over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
“And so we would like to, of course, get more details and do everything that is possible to bring our countrymen home and, of course, to look at every possibility to assist their families at this time of sadness and need.”
Asked for more details of the repatriation, he said the families should wait for a while because the DFA has just dispatched the people who will facilitate the repatriation.
“Kailangan tayong maghintay ng additional na detalye mula sa DFA dahil papunta pa lang si Elmer Cato para tingnan ang ginagawa natin para doon,” he said.
A fire at a hotel in the capital of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region killed 19 people, 14 of them were Filipinos according to Iraqi officials.
Other fatalities include three Iraqis, a Palestinian and another person of unknown nationality, according to the director general of the Arbil health department.
Dozens more were injured and taken to hospital in Arbil, the officials said.
Meanwhile, Quezon said they are still waiting for reports on Filipinos who may be affected by an earthquake in Taiwan, which killed several people.
(from PND)
