Yemeni president conveys condolences to PNoy over Pinoy fatalities in blast



Yemeni President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi has conveyed his condolences to President Benigno Aquino III over the death of seven Filipinos in a militant attack in Yemen last week.


The Yemeni leader wrote Aquino a letter even as he received Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Jesus Yabes in Sanaa Wednesday, the Philippine embassy in Saudi Arabia said Friday.

An article posted on the embassy website said Hadi expressed regret that “these friends who were providing a service to life and humanity would be subject of this tragedy perpetrated by elements who are enemies of human morality and civility."

"We convey our sincere condolences to the families of the victims and we will not forget their noble deeds in the service of Yemen,” he added.

During the meeting, the embassy also said Hadi "conveyed his personal and his people’s condolences, while condemning the incident at the Ministry of Defense Hospital which took the lives of seven Filipinos."

With Yabes were joined by Philippine Ambassador Ezzedin Tago, Philippine Honorary Consul Mohamad Al-Jamal.

Also present were Yemeni MFA Director General Amb. Abdullah Al-Montasser and high officials from the Yemeni President’s office.

For his part, Yabes conveyed condolences for the Yemeni victims, and expressed support for Yemen’s fight against terrorism.

Declared martyrs

The seven Filipinos are considered martyrs, Yemen foreign minister Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi relayed this to Yabes on Wednesday.

"Minister Al-Qirbi informed DFA Undersecretary Yabes that the Yemeni President H.E. Abdo Rabbo Hadi has declared that the Filipino victims are martyrs, similar to the Yemeni victims. Minister Al-Qirbi vowed full assistance to facilitate the early repatriation of the remains of the victims, and cited the contributions of Filipino medical workers to the Yemeni people," the embassy said on its website.

Philippine ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ezzedin Tago is also the Philippines' non-resident ambassador to Yemen.

Yabes arrived in Sana’a, Yemen Tuesday morning and met with Al-Qirbi.

During the meeting, Al-Qirbi conveyed his government’s condolences to the families of the Filipino fatalities.

With Yabes at the meeting were Tago, who had been in Sanaa since Dec. 6; Vice Consul Redentor Genotiva; and Philippine Honorary Consul Mohamad Al-Jamal.

Last week's deadly attack had prompted the Philippines to ban the deployment of workers to Yemen.

In Yemen, Yabes was also received by Yemeni Interior Minister Maj. Gen. Dr. Abdel Qader Qahtan, who also conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims and condemned the attack on the hospital.

For his part, Yabes expressed his condolences to the Yemeni victims’ families and thanked the Yemeni government and the Interior Ministry for the help to Filipinos living in Yemen, and for facilitating the resolution of their cases especially those who overstay in the country after the expiration of their entry visas.

Both officials also affirmed the need to strengthen global efforts to combat terrorism.

Meanwhile, Yabes will meet other Yemeni officials while in Sana’a, as well as the Filipino community and the 29 Filipinos who worked with the Ministry of Defense Hospital that was attacked last week.

Visits to injured

For his part, Tago met the Filipinos who worked for the Ministry of Defense hospital, and visited two who are recovering.

“I am glad that both are conscious and their conditions are non-critical,” he said.

Tago met with the 12 who were on duty at the hospital and the 17 who were off duty but also work with the hospital.

"Ambassador Tago assured them of assistance in making representations with the employer, the Ministry of Defense Hospital, for their repatriation," the embassy said.

The embassy also said the MOD Hospital management will shoulder all costs for the repatriation of the remains, and for the repatriation of the Filipino workers.

Tago also met with several Yemen officials who conveyed condolences to the Filipino people, including Presidential Adviser on Security and Defense General Ali Mohsin Saleh. — LBG, GMA News

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