Pinay on way home to PHL from Syria dies of kidney failure

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said a Filipina, who was on her way home to the Philippines from conflict-stricken Syria, died of renal failure. On February 22, along with 11 other repatriates, the Filipina was waiting for her flight to the Philippines at the Damascus International Airport. However, as the Filipina was ill, she was rushed to Mujtahed Hospital, where she later reportedly died of renal failure.   

 

The Filipina's identity cannot yet be disclosed until the next-of-kin are informed, the DFA said.

 

DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Esteban Conejos, Jr., said the embassy and the Philippine Honorary Consul in Aleppo are investigating the death further and will submit a report as soon as possible.  About 1,008 Filipinos have been repatriated since the unrest in Syria started about 11 months ago. The DFA noted that crisis alert level "4" is currently in place over Syria and the mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos in the country is underway.
 
Earlier, the DFA requested the families of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Syria, more particularly those who are are in the conflict areas of Homs, Hama, Dara’a, and Idlib, to provide information on the whereabouts of their relatives and their latest contact details.
 
They may call the DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) at (02) 834-3245 or (02) 834-3240.  According to a report of the news site BBC, activists say more than 7,000 people have died in the 11-month uprising. Just last week, on Thursday, more than 90 people died as clashes between the Syrian government and the rebel fighters continued. Meanwhile, according to a report of the Reuters news agency, three young men were shot dead in Damascus when security forces fired live ammunition at pro-democracy demonstrations in one of the most heavily guarded areas of the Syrian capital, opposition activists said on Monday.

The three were killed during two night protests that broke out on Sunday in Kfar Souseh neighbourhood, home to several secret police and intelligence headquarters, after a referendum on a new constitution that was widely boycotted in the area, they said.

"The protests were against the farce of a referendum that the regime has tried to push on the Syrian people," a statement by activists in the district said.

Rami Abdelrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said three youth were also badly injured in the attacks.

"Demonstrations have been spreading in Damascus and in Aleppo and the regime is using all available means to crush them," said Abdelrahman, speaking from exile in Britain.

There was no comment from Syrian authorities, who tightly restrict media access to the country. - with a report from Reuters, VVP, GMA News