PHL outraged by killing of US envoy, embassy staff in Libya

The Philippine government deplored on Thursday the killing of an American diplomat and three other embassy staff in a shocking attack by protesters on the US Consulate in Eastern Libya.

“We are outraged by the horrific, criminal and senseless act of violence in Benghazi, Libya, which should be condemned by the international community,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez told a press briefing.

The Department of Foreign Affairs called Wednesday’s attack, which killed US ambassador Chris Stevens and three embassy staff, “a serious violation of longstanding norms of international law with deep historical roots.”  

Hernandez said under international law, diplomatic and consular agents “are not to be harmed and that the diplomatic and consular premises are inviolable.”

The DFA mourned the death of Stevens and the embassy workers.

“We condole with the families of the US Ambassador Stevens and the embassy staff who perished while in performance of their duties, particularly in their efforts to help the Libyan people pursue a just and democratic society,” Hernandez said. 

Stevens was being moved to a safer venue after protesters, angered by an American film they considered blasphemous to Muslim Prophet Mohammad, attacked the US Consulate in Benghazi.  

No Filipino was reported to have been affected by this incident, Hernandez said.

Hernandez, meanwhile, assured that security is being provided to the US Embassy in Manila and all other diplomatic missions in the country.  

“The Philippine National Police with its task force has ample security coverage of the diplomats and diplomatic premises here in the Philippines,” he said.

A special action force was also deployed to the US embassy, Hernandez said, adding  the PNP is ready to provide more people if needed. — Michaela del Callar/RSJ, GMA News