Malacañang has expressed sadness over the death of several Filipinos in a hotel fire in Iraq and promised to ensure the swift repatriation of the remains.
Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Department of Foreign Affairs has started to coordinate with authorities in Iraq to determine the identities of the fatalities.
“Lubos nating ikinalulungkot at ipagdadalamhati ang sinapit ng ating mga kababayang nasawi sa sunog,” Coloma said over government radio. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)