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Riyadh meeting with Filipinos in Yemen1

11 December 2013 - Philippine Ambassador Ezzedin Tago who is also the non-resident Philippine Ambassador to Yemen based in Riyadh traveled to Sana’a, Yemen on December 06 after the bombing incident on  December 05 that hit the Yemeni Ministry of Defense (MOD) Complex and its hospital which took the lives of seven Filipinos and injured 11 Filipinos.

In addition to meeting with the Filipinos who worked for the MOD hospital, the Ambassador also visited two who are recovering and has met in the past two days several officials from the Yemeni government, including the Ministers of Interior, Health, the Presidential Adviser on Security and Defense, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Joint Chief of Staff.

After arriving in Sana’a, Ambassador Tago proceeded immediately to the accommodation of the Filipinos with the MOD hospital, and 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.
Riyadh meeting with Filipinos in Yemen2The MOD Hospital management will be shouldering all costs for the repatriation of the remains, and for the repatriation of the Filipino workers.

The next day, Ambassador Tago visited two Filipinos where were injured during the incident and are confined at the Military Hospital.  “I am glad that both are conscious and their conditions are non-critical,” said Ambassador Tago.

Ambassador Tago also met with the Presidential Adviser on Security and Defence General Ali Mohsin Saleh, who conveyed condolences to the Filipino people.  The Presidential Adviser and the Philippine Ambassador discussed various issues related to the situation in Yemen, and both condemned the recent attack on the MOD complex.

The Ambassador was received by the Yemeni Minister of Public Health and Population Dr. Ahmed Qasem Al-Ansi, who conveyed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims.  “The Minister of Public Health Dr. Al-Ansi has sincerest condolences for the victims, especially that he worked for years with one of the victims, Dr. Ruben Valenzuela, when both worked at the Thawra Hospital,” recalled Ambassador Tago.

The same day, Ambassador Tago met with the Yemeni Minister of Interior, Maj. General Dr. Abdel Qader Qahtan, who also reiterated condolences to the families of the Filipino victims in the incidents.  Ambassador Tago thanked him for his past assistance over the past years in cases of Filipinos who had overstaying penalties in Yemen.  The Minister of Interior expressed readiness to continuing helping the mission and the Philippine Consulate in Sanaa in extending help to Filipino nationals.

Riyadh meeting with Filipinos in Yemen3Ambassador Tago met with the Joint Chief of Staff General Ahmad  Al-Ashwal, who also conveyed his sincerest condolences to the Filipino people especially the relatives of the victims of the bombing and attack on the complex hospital.  Both discussed various issues relating to the incident, and the current situation in Yemen.

General Al-Ashwal authorised his staff to take Ambassador Tago on an ocular inspection of the hospital building located in the same complex of the Ministry of Defence where the two officials held their meeting.

Ambassador Tago also met with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Yemen, Dr. Ali Muthana Hassan who also conveyed his sincerest condolences to the victims’ families.  Both officials also discussed matters of mutual interest.  Both highlighted their cooperation in the fight against terrorism, and future cooperation in this area. END