Pinoy troopers to stay put on Golan Heights for now - AFP

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 7): Pinoy troopers to stay put on Golan Heights for now - AFP

Filipino peacekeepers in Golan Heights in Syria will remain in the area until a decision is reached by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista made this announcement on Friday after noting that peacekeeping commitments are made by the DFA to the United Nations. The issue about the return of Filipino troopers came after the wounding of one of their peers, victim of indirect fire on Thursday.

"It's a foreign relations issue and we submit to whatever the decision is going to be," he added.

Bautista also stated that the AFP has already submitted its security review to the DFA regarding the Philippine commitment to the United Nations regarding Golan Heights in wake of two abduction incidents involving Filipino peacekeepers earlier in the year.

"You can never remove risk in the (Golan Heights) that's why they are there to prevent (further) conflict," the AFP chief replied when asked if the posting in Syria is risky.

Bautista also said the military is prepared to carry out its mandate despite of casualties.

"We are committed to perform our mandate and we lay our lives on the line whether it be here or somewhere else," he pointed out.

Bautista added that risk in Golan Heights, Syria is very manageable, adding that the Philippines had faced even tougher conditions when it deployed around 8,000 Filipino soldiers during the Korean War.

"There was combat then and yet we deployed our people," he stressed.

A Filipino peacekeeper was wounded after indirect fire hit Camp Ziouni in Golan Heights, Syria around 7:45 a.m. (Syrian time) Thursday.

The soldier, who sustained shrapnel wounds in the right ankle, is a member of the 6th Philippine Contingent to Golan Heights.

Major Ramon Zagala, AFP public affairs office chief, said that the injured soldier is now in stable condition.

He added that the incident took place as Syrian government and rebel forces clashed some three to four kilometers away from Camp Ziouni.

The latter base is the logistic base of the UN Disengagement Observer Force.

Zagala said that the AFP is constantly monitoring the situation in the area even as he stressed that the safety and well-being of all Filipino peacekeepers is the military's priority.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=532143