88 OFWs barred from Iraq (overseas Filipino workers)

[Barrett808]

Authorities held 88 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at the Dubai International Airport after their plane was prevented from landing in Iraq, ABS-CBN News learned Sunday.

Reports said the OFWs' chartered flight returned to Dubai after air traffic controllers did not allow it to touch down at Baghdad International Airport

Vic Cabe, Philippine labor attaché in Dubai, said the OFWs were ordered back to Dubai because the ban on foreign workers in war-torn Iraq is still in effect.

Philippine embassy officials were processing the deportation of the OFWs. They, however, said the deportation may be delayed because it is difficult to book a flight to Manila due to the influx of migrant workers for the Christmas season.

The Philippines implemented a ban on OFWs to Iraq after Filipino truck driver Angelo dela Cruz was abducted by Iraqi insurgents in 2004. He was released the same year.

Another OFW, Robert Tarongoy, was also kidnapped by Iraqi militants in 2004 and released in June this year.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=24508