Francis then messaged: “May boom boom po Sir sa paligid but flight is on schedule.” He said he could not tell if shells were landing inside the airport complex but the point of impact, according to him, was somewhere near as he could feel the ground shaking. A few hours ago, we said goodbye to … Continue reading Repatriation via Mitiga
Libya
Tearful Farewell in Tunis
The Filipina nurse could not hold back her tears as she hugged and thanked us for the last time. We were standing just outside the immigration area at Tunis Carthage International Airport where she and her seven-year-old son will take the flight that would first take them to Doha and then on to Manila. “Pasensya … Continue reading Tearful Farewell in Tunis
Bracing for the Offensive
The last time I was with my family was Christmas last year in New York. I was supposed to be there in May for my son’s college graduation but I was not able to make it because fighting once again broke out in Tripoli. I would come to miss other important family events during the … Continue reading Bracing for the Offensive
Unsung Heroes
Today, we honor one of the greatest heroes of the Philippines—Andres Bonifacio, the founder of the revolutionary society Katipunan. We will commemorate this day by paying tribute not only to the Great Plebeian but also to the unsung heroes of the Philippine foreign service—the men and women who risked their lives by serving in conflict … Continue reading Unsung Heroes
That Boy Bogs
The last time I saw Bogs was five years ago at the Tunis Carthage International Airport. He was eight years old then when we took him, his mother, and several other kababayan on a grueling 12-hour journey by land from Tripoli. They were among the more than 300 Filipinos who we were able to escort … Continue reading That Boy Bogs
The Search for the Missing
Shortly before leaving Manila for Tripoli in 2019, we met with the family members of four Filipino oil workers who have been missing and presumed dead since they were abducted by Islamic State extremists in southern Libya on 6 March 2015. We met them at the conference room of the Office of the Undersecretary for … Continue reading The Search for the Missing
The Road to Garabolli
We had reasons to be worried. For us to be able to get to Misrata, we would have to take the Coastal Highway and that highway cuts through Garabolli. And with clashes reportedly taking place there, the highway is no longer passable.
Assignment: Tripoli
My task was to escort and debrief the Abu Sayyaf hostages on board and upon arrival in Tripoli, observe their turnover to their respective governments, and then send reports to Manila.
DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONTLINE 