MANILA, Philippines – The bodies of 7 Filipinos killed in the bombing incident in Yemen’s defense ministry complex early this month, arrived in the country on Tuesday, December 17.
The bodies of Dr. Ruben Valenzuela, nurses Hazel Puebles, Edward Anthony de Guzman, and Rosita Santiago arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport via Emirates Airways flight, while the remains of the other nurses — Marivic Badenas, Aurora Gormante and Mariane David — arrived at the Diosdado Macapagal Airport in Angeles, Pampanga.
The health workers were among the 52 who were killed when a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-packed car into Yemen’s defense ministry on December 5, injuring 167 others. They were at a hospital that lies within the ministry’s complex, which bore the brunt of the attack.
The attack was claimed by the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, in a statement published on the Internet by its media arm.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, each family of the victims will receive compensation equivalent to the one-year salary from the hospital where they were working in Yemen.
Meanwhile, Yemeni President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi ordered the conferment of a medal of duty to Dr. Valenzuela for his service.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Yemen has been under crisis alert level 1 since October 2012.
Hernandez said the government declares this alert level “when there is internal disturbance in a country.” Under this alert level, the government advises Filipinos “to take necessary precautions.”
The brazen attack on the complex follows a spate of hit-and-run strikes on military personnel and officials, as the country struggles to complete a thorny political transition. – Rappler.com
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