Five Filipinos are reportedly being held as prisoners of war in Ukraine.
And bringing them home… won’t be simple.
In a report by JP Soriano on 24 Oras, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) admitted that the situation is deeply complicated — layered with international law, diplomacy, and the harsh realities of an ongoing war.
These five Filipinos were said to have served as mercenaries for Russia before being captured in Ukraine.
Now, they are in the middle of a conflict the Philippines is not part of.
And that changes everything.
“Even the access to our prisoners of war is governed by international law and the policies of the detaining state,” DFA spokesperson Ambassador Angelica Caraos Escalona explained.
In short — even reaching them is not entirely within the Philippine government’s control.
The DFA has already coordinated with both Ukraine and Russia through their embassies in Manila. Requests for assistance have been acknowledged.
But acknowledgment is not action.
“They took note of our request for assistance. But again, this is a complicated process,” Escalona said.
Under the Geneva Conventions, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) acts as a neutral intermediary in cases involving prisoners of war. The DFA says it is coordinating with authorities on both sides — including the Red Cross.
Still, diplomacy in wartime moves carefully. Slowly.
“We are coordinating with authorities on both sides, even the Red Cross, but this is a complicated process,” Escalona emphasized. “The Filipinos are in conflict areas. The Philippines is not a party to this conflict. So any repatriation depends on agreements between the parties involved.”
That means the fate of these five Filipinos rests not only on negotiations — but on decisions made between nations at war.
For now, there are no further details. The Ukrainian Embassy declined to comment.
Meanwhile, the DFA issued a stern warning to Filipinos back home.
Many mercenary recruitments, they said, begin quietly — through social media posts and informal networks offering overseas jobs.
“Karamihan online job offers at informal networks,” Escalona said. “We always remind our fellow citizens to be careful with overseas employment offers, especially on social media. Be discerning. Study the offers carefully.”
Behind every online offer could be a risk no one expects.
And behind every complicated diplomatic process are families waiting… hoping… praying.
For now, the path home for these five Filipinos remains uncertain.
Because in the middle of war, even rescue becomes complicated.
