Remains of 2 Filipinos killed in Beirut blast will be repatriated —Cacdac

Overseas Workers Administration administrator Hans Leo Cadac on Wednesday told the relatives of the two Filipinos who were killed in a massive explosion in the Lebanese capital of Beirut that the government will repatriate their loved ones’ remains.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Cacdac said OWWA has already been in contact with the family of one of the victims. However, they are still verifying the identity of the other casualty.

"‘Yon naman ang unang-unang isasagawa," he said of repatriating the remains. "But as I said, ‘yong isa diyan ini-identify pa so ‘yon muna ‘yong isasagawa."

Earlier, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said they have yet to identify the other victim due to loss of passport.

“Apelyido lang ang alam namin kasi nawawala ang passport niya. Nasama yata sa sunog ng pagsabog,” Bello said.

Meanwhile, Cacdac said they are coordinating with the Philippine Embassy, the Department of Labor and Employment and the Philippine Overseas Labor and Office to assist all affected Filipinos in Beirut.

“All in all ina-assist na ang mga nangangailangan ng tulong and of course ‘yong general, pangkalahatang pagmamanman ng sitwasyon. Patuloy din ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa Filipino community doon,” Cacdac said.

Earlier, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ed Meñez said the Filipino casualties were in their employers’ homes during the explosion.

Foreign Undersecretary Sarah Arriola at a press briefing said those who died and the eight wounded were household service workers.

Eleven Filipinos, mostly seafarers, meanwhile, were reported missing, the DFA said.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the government will intensify its efforts to repatriate Filipinos in Lebanon.

At least 78 people were killed and nearly 4,000 were injured in the explosion in port warehouses storing highly explosive material, Reuters reported.

Lebanese authorities are still investigating the cause of the explosion, but said it is likely that highly explosive ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse at a port triggered it. — BM, GMA News