Philippines bans workers' deployment to Libya amid fighting

MANILA, Philippines: The Philippine labor secretary says the government has imposed a total ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to Libya because of fighting between rival militias for control of the North African nation's capital.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Wednesday that the indefinite ban would affect new Libya-bound workers and even Filipinos who are scheduled to return there after work breaks.

The deployment ban was imposed after the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila on Monday raised the threat level in Libya's capital to 3 and urged Filipinos in Tripoli and outlying areas to consider leaving to avoid getting caught in the fighting.

Bello says if the threat level is raised to 4, the government will have to implement a forced evacuation of Filipinos to ensure their safety.