DFA Verifying if Filipinos Among Victims of Incident in Germany
08 April 2018 -- The Department of Foreign Affairs today said it is still trying to verify if there were Filipinos among the dead and injured in an incident in western Germany on Saturday involving a man who rammed his van into a crowd.
The DFA said the Philippine Embassy in Berlin is still waiting for reports from the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Essen near Munster in North Rhine-Westphalia where the incident took place as well as from members of the Filipino Community in the historic German city.
“So far, we have not received any reports that Filipinos were among the three dead and more than 20 injured in this terrible incident,” Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Lilibeth Pono said in a report to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano.
Chargé d’Affaires Pono said that a van driven by what police said is a mentally unstable man rammed into a crowd of pedestrians on Saturday afternoon (Saturday evening in Manila), killing two persons and injuring at least 20. The driver of the van was later reported to have killed himself.
Chargé d’Affaires Pono said German authorities have ruled out terrorism in the incident.
Immediately after the incident, Chargè d’Affaires Pono advised the 4,100-strong Filipino Community in North Rhine-Westphalia to be vigilant and to contact the Embassy if they have information of any Filipino being among the casualties in the incident.
Chargé d’Affaires Pono said the Embassy requested the assistance of Philippine Honorary Consul in Essen, Heinz-Peter Heidrich, in coordinating with police authorities in Munster, about 475 kilometers from Berlin.
Chargé d’Affaires Pono said members of the Filipino Community should contact the Embassy if there were Filipinos affected by the incident who may need assistance:
Emergency contact numbers: +49-173-521-5703 (hotline);
+49-308-649-500
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