US orders pullout of Pinoy workers in Afghanistan

The US government has ordered another pullout of foreign workers, including Filipinos, whose countries have implemented a deployment ban in the war-torn country. In a copy of the September 17 memorandum obtained by GMANews.TV, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) ordered its contractors to remove third country nationals (TCN) from US military and other facilities in Afghanistan whose domestic laws prohibit their citizens from working there. In an interview, an official of the Philippine Embassy in Pakistan, which has jurisdiction over Afghanistan, confirmed that Filipinos will be among the foreign workers who will have to be repatriated. The official, who refused to be named, added about 5,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will be affected by the memorandum. The Embassy official, however, refused to further comment on the matter, saying the departments of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Labor and Employment will have the final say. “We will just implement whatever they tell us to do," the official said. DFA spokesperson Ed Malaya could not be reached as of posting time. Repatriation of OFWs The repatriation of TCNs, including Filipinos, may be made upon the termination of the workers’ contracts, or upon dismissal. “Contractors in violation of third country laws should immediately make plans to repatriate these individuals," the memorandum stated as signed by Brig. Gen. Camille Nichols, commanding general of the US CENTCOM. Letter to Aquino Filipinos in Afghanistan, however, have written President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino, asking that the ban be lifted and that they be allowed to stay in that country. In their letter, Catherine Sobrevega, representative of the Filipino workers in Afghanistan, said the order will affect some 5,000 OFWs, including those from international non-governmental organizations, aid agencies, and multinational corporations. In the petition, Sobrevega cited other reasons to lift the ban: