Philippine Embassy, Ankara reports no Filipinos hurt in turkey blast  

23 May 2007 — Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. (CDA) Alfonso A. Ver of the Philippine Embassy in Ankara , Turkey reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that no Filipinos have been reported hurt after an explosion rocked the district of Ulus in Ankara at around 6:45 p.m. (11:45 p.m., Manila time) on 22 May 2007.  

Immediately after the blast, the Embassy sought out members of the Filipino community in Ankara to advise them to stay calm, remain in their homes, and monitor the news for any advisory that the local authorities may issue.  

“The Embassy has been able to reach and inform our key contacts in districts in Ankara where Filipinos reside.  None of these districts are near Ulus.” CDA Ver said.  There are about 250 Filipinos in Ankara , mostly employed as domestic or private staff of the members of the diplomatic corps in the Turkish capital.  

Turkish media have reported that the blast killed five people and injured 40 others.  The fatalities have been confirmed to be four Turks and one Pakistan i national.  The injured also include four other Pakistan is.  

CDA Ver said that casualties were taken to the Ankara and Nomone Hastane (Hospital), both of which are located near the blast site.  The Embassy continues to coordinate with both hospitals to ascertain that no Filipinos are among the casualties.  

According to local media reports, the Ankara Police believe that a bomb caused the blast, although Ankara Governor Kemal Önal was earlier quoted by a private television station as saying that an “accident” may have caused the explosion.  The station, quoting police sources, later reported that the most likely cause was a bomb, and said that the bomb was made of plastic explosives similar to those favored by separatist Kurdish rebel group Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).  There has been, however, no claim of responsibility from the PKK or any other group.  

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already visited the blast site, where he told the media that the bomb was “a terrorist attack.”  

CDA Ver said that the Embassy will continue to monitor the situation in Ankara , and report to the Department any new developments.  END

/jay

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