MANILA: Col James Ezra Enriquez, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) official who opposed an order for Filipino peacekeepers to surrender, was placed on administrative leave by the superior he defied.
Armed Forces public affairs chief Lt Col Ramon Zagala said Enriquez, the UNDOF Chief of Staff, was placed on leave after he had resigned from his post.
Enriquez offered to quit last Sunday due to differences with UNDOF Commander Lt Gen Iqbal Singh Singha, who had ordered Filipino troops surrounded by Syrian rebels to surrender their firearms and put up a white flag.
Enriquez, however, defied the order and insisted that the Filipino troops should escape from the rebels. “The message of Col Enriquez states: “the force commander did not accept my resignation. I offered by resignation but he (placed) me on administrative leave until the final repatriation of our troops,” Zagala said in a press briefing yesterday.
Zagala believes Enriquez’s decision to defy Singha is justified.
“As Chief of Staff of UNDOF, Col Enriquez looked after the safety and security of members of UNDOF, in this case, the 40 members of Filipino peacekeepers that were at the standoff in Position 68,” Zagala said.
“He was just doing his mandate. Although he defied the force commander he was still true to his mission of protecting the security and safety of United Nations Disengagement Observer Force troops,” he added.
Zagala clarified that Singh cannot act on Enriquez’s resignation because the Filipino officer was appointed directly by the UN.
When asked whether the military is worried about the fate of Enriquez, Zagala said: “I think Col Enriquez took a stand for our country and it is just right that the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and our government will support him.”
“What Col Enriquez did was to defy an order that is against all logic, to give up your arms and put your own troops in danger. Now if there is any investigation on the matter we believe that Col Enriquez justifiably did what he had to do,” he added. Zagala said Singh was a “poor commander” when he ordered the surrender of Filipino peacekeepers.
In a Facebook post, Enriquez said he does not regret defying Singh’s order. “I have been in the military service for 30 years and never defied tactical, operational or administrative orders from my superiors until that stand-off in Position 68. I made the right decision,” the post read.
Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang, Jr said the daring escape was made possible by the determination of Filipino troops and the “exemplary” team work among countries that send peacekeepers to the UN.
Last Thursday, Syrian rebels surrounded two forward positions manned by 75 Filipino soldiers and demanded that they surrender their firearms. Members of the Philippine contingent refused to yield, resulting in a two-day standoff.
THE PHILIPPINE STAR
