With the fate of 44 Fijian soldiers serving the UN Disengagement Force in the Golan Heights still uncertain, the chief of the Philippines' armed forces is asking the United Nations to investigate the actions of indian Army Lieutenant General Iqbal Singh Singha, commander of the U.N. Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights, who twice ordered Philippine peacekeepers under his command to surrender their firearms to Islamic militants that surrounded two UNDOF encampments.

Like Us on Facebook

General Gregorio Pio Catapang said he questioned the decision of the UNDOF commander for the Philippine peacekeepers to just raise the white flag and give up their firearms, and advised the soldiers to stay put and defend their position until UN reinforcements arrived.

The Filipino soldiers stood their ground, and escaped from their outpost when they saw the chance.

Speaking at a press conference at the Armed Forces of the Philippines General Headquarters in Manila, Catapang said the order to surrender was given by General Singha, acting on a demand by the Syrian rebels allied with the Islamist Nusra Front, a group linked to al Qaeda. The rebels were then surrounding two camps manned by the Filipinos.

"He (Singha) said that if we were attacked we should raise the white flag. I said no way. That means our soldiers will also be held hostage," said Catapang. 

"The UNDOF commander was very indecisive. He wants to save the Fijians at the expense of the Filipinos," Catapang said.

"We do not surrender our firearms, it's more than just a symbol, it's our honor."

Catapand said he advised the Philippine troops to defy the UNDOF commander's order to surrender. On Saturday, about 100 Syrian rebels stormed one of camps and engaged the 40 Filipinos in it in a seven-hour firefight.

Hours later, the Filipinos took advantage of a lull in the fighting and escaped to safer ground until they were able to link up with other UN forces.

From the other camp, 32 Filipinos had earlier been extricated by Irish peacekeepers and taken to safer positions.

Forty-four peacekeepers from Fiji who had surrendered on Wednesday remain in the rebels' custody. UN representatives and Fijian diplomatic personnel are negotiating with the rebels for their release.

Gen. Catapang said the Filipinos' defiance of the UNDOF commander's order to surrender may affect Philippine and UN relations, but the national interest and the safety of Filipinos would always prevail over any situation.

Forty-four peacekeepers from Fiji who had surrendered on Wednesday remain in the rebels' custody. UN representatives and Fijian diplomatic personnel are negotiating with the rebels for their release. 

In March last year, 21 Philippine peacekeepers under UNDOF were briefly held by an Islamist rebel unit claiming that the UN was cooperating with Syria. They were released unharmed to Jordanian authorities.

TagsGolan Heights, UNDOF, Philippine Peacekeepers