AFP told to prepare report on Golan Heights stand-off

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 2): AFP told to prepare report on Golan Heights stand-off

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has been instructed to prepare a detailed report concerning the stand-off in the Golan Heights, AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said Tuesday.

"We were instructed by President Benigno S. Aquino III to prepare the report during a meeting together with the Secretary of National Defense. The AFP was told to document the blow-by-blow events that occurred," he added.

Catapang said it will be up to higher authorities to decide on whether the Philippines will file a protest regarding the handling by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) commander of the matter.

The filing of protest is a right of the Philippine government as a troop contributing nation to UN peacekeeping missions.

Catapang earlier said the AFP countermanded the order of UNDOF commander Indian Lt. Gen.Iqbal Singh Singha which called for the Filipinos in Positions 68 and 69 to surrender their weapons, in what observers said, was a vain attempt to save the 44 Fijians.

The former gave up their firearms without a fight and as a result were held hostage by the Syrian rebels during the beginning of the stand-off Thursday.

Catapang said that there is no section nor clause in the terms of reference (UN deployment of peacekeepers) authorizing troop-contributing countries to authorize the surrender of their troops' firearms in event of harassment or attack.

"It's not our fault that the Fijian peacekeepers were captured and held hostage, what I told the UNDOF commander was that he should save the Philippine contingent (in Positions 68 and 69) so that we can help the Fijians," the AFP chief stressed.

Besides, Catapang said that there is no assurance that the Syrian rebels will not capture the Filipino force once it surrendered all its weapons.

"And if that happens, the UNDOF commander will have a bigger problem in his hands," the AFP chief stated.

Filipino peacekeepers in the Golan Heights are armed with M-4 automatic rifles, M-60 machine-guns, K-3 squad automatic weapons, and .45 caliber pistols.

Catapang also said that surrender of weapons, even if a ceremonial one as being proposed by the Al Nusra Front, is frowned upon by the AFP as it is a symbol of a Filipino soldiers' martial honor.

Catapang said that this action of the Philippine side did not contradict the UNDOF orders as troop contributing countries have leeway to countermand orders when it affects their national interest like continued security and safety of their military personnel.

Filipino troops attached to the UNDOF is placed at 331 officers and enlisted personnel.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=679361