Pinoy peacekeeping official in Golan Heights back in PHL

The controversial Filipino official in the peacekeeping force in Golan Heights has returned to the Philippines weeks after the standoff there that pitted him with his superior.

Col. James Ezra Enriquez arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Wednesday afternoon, ahead of the more than 300 Filipino peacekeepers who are due for repatriation in October.

“He has been repatriated,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Maj. Gen. Domingo Tutaan. “He arrived this afternoon.”

Enriquez, who served as chief of staff of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), earned controversy after he defied his commander's order at the height of the standoff with Syrian rebels.

Following his disagreement with UNDOF commander Lt. Gen. Iqbal Singh Singha, Enriquez offered to resign, but this was rejected by his superiors who instead put him under leave of absence.

Singha reportedly ordered the Filipino peacekeepers to lay down their weapons and raise the white flag to ensure the safety of the Fijian peacekeepers captured by the rebels. The Filipino troops defied the order and were able to escape eventually.

The Philippine military said the troops defied the order as there was no guarantee that the rebels would release the Fijian hostages.

Singha, for his part, described the Filipino troops' action as an act of cowardice.

Enriquez is expected to report to AFP chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang on Thursday, Tutaan said. —KBK, GMA News

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