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Philippines officials ask US to get to Iraq to probe ‘trafficking’ allegations

Oversees Foreign Workers (OFWs) allegedly forced to work on US embassy in Baghdad.

The Philippine fact-finding mission looking into the alleged trafficking of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Iraq has asked the United States for help in entering the war-torn country, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

In a press conference, Crescente Relacion, executive director of the DFA’s Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs, said the team, headed by special envoy to the Middle East Roy Cimatu, will proceed to Iraq on instructions of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“Yes, they are proceeding to Iraq. Yes, we’ve asked the help of the US military to enter Iraq,” he said.

The team also includes Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Ricardo Endaya, charge d’ affaires in the Philippine embassy to Iraq, which operates from a satellite office in Amman, Jordan, and labor attaché to Kuwait Leopoldo De Jesus.

By: Veronica Uy. "RP asks US aid to get Iraq to probe 'trafficking.'" INQUIRER.net. 10 August 2007.

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