Filipinos in Afghanistan worried as Taliban forces enter Kabul

Filipinos in Afghanistan could not help but feel worried as Taliban forces entered the capital Kabul, bringing the Islamist militants close to taking over the country.

According to Joseph Glenn Gumpal, leader of the Filipino community in Afghanistan, they are in constant communication with each other regarding updates on repatriation activities.

Interviewed on Dobol B TV on Monday, Gumpal said there were no violence so far but they have heard of checkpoints manned by Taliban forces.

"Talagang kami ay kinabahan din talaga. Panay ang tawag namin sa Philippine Embassy [para tanungin] kailan ba talaga mangyayari ang repatriation kasi natatakot na kami," he said, noting the Taliban's reputation for executions and beheadings.

(We are really worried. We keep calling the Philippine Embassy to inquire about repatriation because we are really scared.)

Gumpal said they became more worried when President Ashraf Ghani left Afghanistan without resigning and relinquishing power to the Taliban despite negotiations.

"Hindi namin alam kung ano ang plano nila (Taliban), kung papasukin nila kami dito sa compound o ano [We don't know the Taliban's plan, if they are going to enter our compounds or what]," he said

The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, has ordered the mandatory evacuation of 130 Filipinos in Afghanistan.

Alert Level 4 — the highest security warning given by the Philippines on countries that pose risks to Filipino travelers and workers due to armed conflict or disaster — was announced by the DFA late Sunday night.

According to Gumpal, there are 173 Filipinos in Afghanistan, many of them living in compounds owned by their companies.

Of the 173, Gumpal said 78 have agreed to join the government's repatriation efforts, while some availed of the repatriation efforts by their respective companies.

"Kasi yung ibang kumpanya may kaniya-kaniyang contingency plan [Some companies have their own contingency plan]," Gumpal said.

A Reuters report said Taliban insurgents took control of the presidential palace Sunday night.

The Taliban was ousted by a US-led coalition in 2001. —KBK, GMA News