Despite deployment ban, 3 Pinoys sneak into Yemen

Despite the Philippine ban on labor deployment, at least three Filipinos were able to sneak into strife-torn Yemen, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday. The DFA said it could not provide details if the Filipinos — who were apparently seeking employment in Yemen — were asked to return to the Philippines or if they are now in the custody of Philippine officials there. Manila does not have an embassy in Yemen, making it hard for the Philippine government to monitor the entry of all Filipinos there. On June 6, Manila ordered the mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos residing in the capital Sanaa and other affected areas due to the deteriorating peace-and-order situation. A rocket attack at the Yemeni presidential palace in Sanaa — which left Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and some members of his government injured — prompted Manila to raise the crisis alert in Yemen to “4," which calls for “mandatory movement" of all Filipinos. Social unrest in Yemen has become more violent as a wave of unrests gripped the Middle East and North Africa, with protesters calling for reforms and an end to authoritarian rule. Since the voluntary repatriation started on May 30, only 118 of 1,422 Filipinos in Yemen have joined the government-organized evacuation. The DFA said that despite the dismal turnout, it will continue to convince more Filipinos to get out of Yemen while transportation routes are still passable and airports operational. — JE/VS, GMA News