Pinoys among illegal migrants 'missing' after London tower fire –UK newspaper


Undocumented migrants, including a "whole load of Filipinos," may have "deliberately disappeared" following the deadly fire incident that hit Grenfell Tower in London, according to a report on Independent, citing sources.
The report said a local volunteer claimed to have heard from other Grenfell residents about Filipinos who have never been seen in the area since last week's fire incident.
Volunteers suspect these illegal migrants either fled the area for fear of immigration authorities or have died from the fire.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it could not confirm details of the report.
Philippine Consul General Senen Mangalile, in a June 14 interview on Balitanghali, said the 24-storey Grenfell Tower was home to families of various nationalities, although the embassy has no exact figure of Filipinos living there.
Sonny Laragan, GMA News' stringer in London, told Balitanghali in a June 19 interview that the tower was also home to subtenants, as residents are known to sublet the rooms. He described the tower as a "virtual squatters' house."
The Independent report, citing a government source, said police are not inclined to assist victims of the fire who are illegally staying in the United Kingdom.
London police said at least 79 people are dead or missing and presumed dead following the devastating blaze, among them a 60-year-old Filipina identified as Ligaya Moore.
"The Embassy has the sad task to announce that despite our diligent search made in coordination with the Metropolitan Police and the Filipino Community in London, Mrs. Ligaya Moore has not been found," the Philippine Embassy said in a June 18 post on Facebook.
"She has now been included by the MetPolice as among those presumed to have perished in the Grenfell Tower tragedy." —KBK, GMA News

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