The 21 Philippine government officials stranded in Israel amid the escalating Israel-Iran conflict have been safely evacuated to Jordan. Photo from the Philippine Embassy in Jordan
MANILA, Philippines — The 21 Philippine government officials stranded in Israel amid the escalating Israel-Iran conflict have been safely evacuated to Jordan.
READ: 21 PH officials stuck in Israel to return to PH by weekend — DFA
This was disclosed by the Philippine Embassy in Jordan early Thursday.
“In Amman, the embassy made formal representations to Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and the Jordanian Border Security to secure entry clearance for the officials. The group was met by Ambassador Wilfredo Santos at the King Hussein Border, where they were provided with the necessary assistance and issued transit visas — all at no cost to the Philippine government,” the embassy said in a statement.
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It added that the effort was made possible through close collaboration between the Philippine Embassies in Tel Aviv and Amman.
“The Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv actively coordinated with the Philippine Embassy in Jordan, relevant authorities, and made the necessary representations with the Israeli Government in support of this mission,” the embassy said.
In the coming days, the Philippine Embassy in Jordan is also expected to receive the first group of Overseas Filipino Workers exiting Israel via Jordan and “will also be providing the latter with the necessary assistance in the repatriation process.”
Earlier, the Philippine government expressed grave concern over the heightened tensions in the Middle East following Israel’s airstrikes on Iran, calling for de-escalation and peace.
On June 13, Israel launched strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear and military sites, after U.S. President Donald Trump warned of a possible “massive conflict” in the region.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation struck at the “heart of Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme,” specifically targeting the atomic facility in Natanz and nuclear scientists./mcm