MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 15, 2012) – An overseas Philippine migrants group has cautioned Filipinos working abroad, especially in Yemen, Libya and Egypt, to stay vigilant and away from crowds protesting the film Innocence of Muslims.
The movie, believed to have been made by US filmmaker Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, who uses the name Sam Bacile, sparked riots in the three countries. Nakoula was taken in for a voluntary interview with probation officials in Los Angeles.
According to the Los Angles Times, Nakoula, who was convicted on bank fraud charges, violated terms of his probation in relation to the video and its uploading onto the web. Nakoula has told the Associated Press he was a logistics manager on the “Innocence of Muslims” movie, not the director. He told a Coptic bishop Thursday that he had no role in it, the clergyman told The Times.
John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator of the Migrante-Middle East, said in view of the escalating protests at various US diplomatic posts in the Middle East, it is necessary for all overseas Filipino workers in those countries to take necessary precautions and limit unnecessary movements within these countries.
“To emphasize the need to be safe and to secure ourselves from harm and violent acts, we strongly urge our fellow OFWs to stay clear of protesting crowds especially near the diplomatic posts of the US and similar establishments as targets of massive protests,” Monterona said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
Monterona said that based on their initial assessment, the Muslim protests may snowball to other middle eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE where there are large concentrations of OFWs.
“Once again, we strongly advised our fellow Filipinos in the Middle East to be respectful of the host government state religion and their symbols,” Monterona said, adding that Filipinos abroad must refrain from maligning any religion and their prophets as what Innocence of Muslims had disrespectfully conveyed.
“Our Muslim brothers won’t rise up in arms for nothing. Certainly, the movie Innocence of Muslims had done wrong or maliciously conveyed that is something protesting or even revolting courtesy of some war-monger US propagandists,” he added.
Monterona said their group has reactivated “Sagip Migrante” evacuation and assistance program to serve and provide aid to OFWs who will be needing assistance amid the escalating Muslim protests in the Middle East.
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