Pinoys seek big bucks as ‘mercenaries’ in Iraq
by : Bernadette E. Tamayo - Journal OnLine
SENATOR Richard Gordon wants to check reports that several Filipinos -– mostly former soldiers and policemen — who left the country to work in Iraq supposedly as “mercenaries” had been denied entry to the war-torn Arab nation.
There were earlier reports that Blackwater USA, an American firm, were hiring experienced VIP (very important person) bodyguards from the Subic Freeport to work in Iraq offering a yearly salary of almost P3 million.
Gordon, former manager of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), said that he received reports that the Filipino bodyguards tried to use Syria and Afghanistan as entry points to Iraq. In fact, he said that some of his “former men” in Subic had already been recruited by Blackwater.
Syrian and Afghanistan security officials, however, refused them entry because of a current ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers to Iraq imposed by the Philippine government following the kidnapping of Filipino driver Angelo dela Cruz in 2003 by Iraqi insurgents.
“They were trying to get former security officers from Subic. Some of my people na-recruit nila. Ilan nakaalis na pero hindi pinapasok sa Syria and Afghanistan. So I will look into that,” Gordon told repoters.
The senator indicated he would not dissuade Filipinos from going to Iraq to work as bodyguards but warned of the risks involved. “They’re going there as security. This is a free country. ‘‘One Filipino wants to be mercenary and that’s his right. I don’t believe treating Filipinos as kids. But we need to warn them of the risk. Baka ma-hostage sila. You are taking that risk.”
Asked what he thought of Filipinos going to Iraq as “mercenaries,” Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr: “Mahirap pigilin ang mga taong walang hanapbuhay.”
“They have the right to survival. That’s their only chance but they should realize that they cannot hold the country hostage kung ma-hostage sila. Sa Amerika hindi naman ipinagbabawal. Bakit tayo? Ang tawag ko diyan, horizon chasers or risk takers,” Gordon stressed.
SENATOR Richard Gordon wants to check reports that several Filipinos -– mostly former soldiers and policemen — who left the country to work in Iraq supposedly as “mercenaries” had been denied entry to the war-torn Arab nation.
There were earlier reports that Blackwater USA, an American firm, were hiring experienced VIP (very important person) bodyguards from the Subic Freeport to work in Iraq offering a yearly salary of almost P3 million.
Gordon, former manager of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), said that he received reports that the Filipino bodyguards tried to use Syria and Afghanistan as entry points to Iraq. In fact, he said that some of his “former men” in Subic had already been recruited by Blackwater.
Syrian and Afghanistan security officials, however, refused them entry because of a current ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers to Iraq imposed by the Philippine government following the kidnapping of Filipino driver Angelo dela Cruz in 2003 by Iraqi insurgents.
“They were trying to get former security officers from Subic. Some of my people na-recruit nila. Ilan nakaalis na pero hindi pinapasok sa Syria and Afghanistan. So I will look into that,” Gordon told repoters.
The senator indicated he would not dissuade Filipinos from going to Iraq to work as bodyguards but warned of the risks involved. “They’re going there as security. This is a free country. ‘‘One Filipino wants to be mercenary and that’s his right. I don’t believe treating Filipinos as kids. But we need to warn them of the risk. Baka ma-hostage sila. You are taking that risk.”
Asked what he thought of Filipinos going to Iraq as “mercenaries,” Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr: “Mahirap pigilin ang mga taong walang hanapbuhay.”
“They have the right to survival. That’s their only chance but they should realize that they cannot hold the country hostage kung ma-hostage sila. Sa Amerika hindi naman ipinagbabawal. Bakit tayo? Ang tawag ko diyan, horizon chasers or risk takers,” Gordon stressed.
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
8:42 PM
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