Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - The Philippines embassies in Libya, Yemen and Bahrain have advised Filipinos in the three countries to stay away from areas where violent street protests have been erupting, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
"The embassy is coordinating with the Filipinos in Benghazi, including a Filipino priest, who said they are taking the necessary precautions in light of events there. We have advised the other community members to stay calm and to avoid troubled areas," Ambassador to Libya Alejandrino Vicente said.
On Friday, soldiers were deployed on the streets of Libya's major city of Benghazi after a "day of anger" protest against the government.
None of the 26,000 Filipinos were affected by the incident, the DFA said in a statement.
In Yemen, Charge d'Affaires Ezzedin Tago said the embassy was in contact "on a daily basis" with Filipino community leaders in Sanaa and that they were "relatively safe."
"Nonetheless, we have advised them to exercise caution and avoid areas of protest," he said.
In Bahrain, Ambassador Corazon Yap-Bahjin said the embassy had issued an advisory to Filipino community members in the country, advising them "to remain calm, stay indoors and avoid any areas of protest."
"There have been no reports of any Filipinos harmed during the protest actions," she said.
There are around 31,000 Filipinos in Bahrain, according to the DFA.
Bahraini troops forcibly removed a protest camp in the capital, Manama, on Friday. Fifty people were reported injured.
