Filipino UNDOF chief-of-staff quits due to loss of trust, confidence in Indian commander

From AngMalaya (Sep 2): Filipino UNDOF chief-of-staff quits due to loss of trust, confidence in Indian commander

Citing loss of trust and confidence in his commander, the Filipino chief-of-staff of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) quit his post Sunday.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Major Gen. Domingo Tutaan Jr., on Tuesday said the officer in question was identified as Col. Ezra Enriquez.

Tutaan, in an interview, said that Enriquez decided to quit his post over UNDOF commander Lt. Gen. Iqbal Singh Singha’s order to the Filipino peacekeepers in Position 68 and 69 to surrender their weapons and raised the white flag in response to the stand-off and subsequent attack by Syrian rebels at the Golan Heights.

The order was issued in the vain hope that such actions will result in the freeing of the 44 Fijian peacekeepers earlier disarmed and captured by the Syrian rebels Thursday (Syrian time).

In relation to this, Enriquez has filed an administrative leave until October, the month the 331-strong Filipino contingent is expected to return to the Philippines.

Tutaan said Enriquez’s action was done in protest of the order that could endanger the lives of the Filipino troops.

The AFP spokesperson added that Enriquez filed his administrative leave on Sunday (Syrian time).

Tutaan also clarified that it was Enriquez who kept the AFP updated with what was happening in Golan Heights.

As of this posting, all Filipino peacekeepers involved in the Golan Heights stand-off are now in camps Faouar and Ziuoani with the rest in Position 80.

Forty Filipino troops in Position 68 made a breakout early Sunday morning (Syrian time), catching their Syrian attackers flatfooted and making it to safe zone.

Last Saturday morning (also Syrian time), an Irish armored contingent extricated the 35 Filipinos troopers manning Position 69.

http://www.angmalaya.net/nation/2014/09/02/3918-filipino-undof-chief-of-staff-quits-due-to-loss-of-trust-confidence-in-indian-commander