26 March 2004 – Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Rafael E. Seguis today clarified that no Filipino UN
 Police in Kosovo had been killed.

 “This is a clarification that we are only too glad to make.  We are thankful that the report that a Filipino
 lost his life has been proven to be untrue, although we also feel for the loss of the UN Police official
 who was actually killed,” the Acting Secretary said.  According to reports, the UN Police official that was
 killed was from Ghana.

 “All of our Filipino UN Police officials are safe and we are confident that they will remain safe.  We
 regret that, based on the information coming from the UN, we had acknowledged the death of one of our police
 officers,” the Acting Secretary said.

 “We have just received confirmation from our Ambassador in Budapest, Hungary, Ambassador Alejandro
 del Rosario that he had received a report from Col. Getulio Napenas, commander of the 55-man PNP force in
 Kosovo, that all our police officials are safe,” he added.

 The Philippine Embassy in Budapest covers developments in Kosovo “and the Department deeply
 appreciates the regular and accurate reports that the Embassy has been sending on these developments,” the
 Acting Secretary said.

 When asked if the Department blamed the UN, the Acting Secretary said that it is not necessary to blame
 anyone.  “I have been in places where the UN has been and where they had made a difference.  While it is
 usually expected that the UN would have accurate information in these matters, I can fully appreciate
 and understand the difficult circumstances that they face in conflict and post-conflict areas.  They are
 under circumstances that are far from normal,” the Acting Secretary said.

 The Acting Secretary said that yesterday morning the Department had directly called the UN Office in
 Kosovo, after failing to get through to Philippine Embassy officials in Budapest.  The Philippines is
 seven hours ahead of Hungary.

 “The Department apologizes to the families and friends of our brave police officers in Kosovo and we will do
 everything to ensure that this incident is not repeated.  We have to institute reforms in order to
 avoid another similar occurrence,” the Acting Secretary emphasized.

 “What is clear from this incident is the need for the Department to have direct contacts with our military
 and police forces which are deployed overseas so we can get real-time updates in urgent situations.  I
 believe that in today’s world, this is a necessity. We have to function on a 24-hour, real-time basis.
 Bureaucracy and time differences should not stand in the way of getting information that is necessary in
 terms of policy or in support of policy for humanitarian considerations,” the Acting Secretary explained.

 “Such direct contact would not, of course, involve the Department in what would be purely operational
 matters, as these would be left to the mother agencies.  I will be making a formal request, on an
 urgent basis, to the DND/AFP and the DILG/PNP to identify these contact points and to convey our own
 contact points in the Department,” the Acting Secretary said.  END.