The Philippine government has sought the help of the authorities in Iraq and Libya to secure the release of five Filipinos who were abducted by armed men in the two countries.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said the Department of Foreign Affairs made the request after he was notified by Philippine embassies in Baghdad and Tripoli about the separate incidents of abduction.
“We are in touch with authorities in Iraq and Libya and have requested their assistance in locating and securing the release of our missing countrymen,” Cayetano said.
Reports indicated that two Filipinas were abducted on Saturday on a road connecting Baghdad to Kirkuk.
Chargé d’Affaires Julius Torres said the women were with two other Filipinas and were on their way to Baghdad from Kurdistan when armed men stopped their vehicle.
The driver reportedly abandoned the vehicle as the armed men took all four women. However, two of them later escaped and are in police custody.
On Friday, three Filipinos and one Korean were abducted by unidentified armed men in southeastern Libya. They were working as technicians at a water plant.
According to the DFA, armed men went to the construction site 500 kilometers from Tripoli early Friday and snatched five foreigners and four Libyans from their quarters.
The armed men later released all the Libyans and one of the foreign workers, reports reaching DFA said.
