Taliban Allows OFW To Pick Up Stranded Pinoys

A Filipino was allowed by the Taliban to get his fellow Filipinos who were stranded at two embassies in Afghanistan.

- Jaleen Ramos And Roy C. Mabasa

Elmer Presa, an overseas Filipino worker, said no other drivers had dared to pick up the other Filipinos stranded at the Swedish embassy and US embassy since the Taliban entered Kabul.

Sabi ko sa aking (I told my) boss, I will take the risk to get my guys. So binigyan po ako ng pahintulot (He gave me permission). Sabi nya (He said): 'Elmer, you are on your own, you can do whatever you want, just bring them here.' So yun po, kaya po lumabas ako nung gabi na yun (So I went out that night), Presa told ABS CBN News on Thursday, August 19.

Presa said he pleaded to the Taliban at the checkpoint to let him pass to pick up his fellow Filipinos who were stranded at the embassies.

“Sabi ko, sa salita nila, may kaibigan akong Pilipino, pwede ko ba silang kunin nang walang problema? Hinayaan po nila ako (I said, in their own language that I have friends who are Filipinos, can I take them out without any problem? They let me go), Presa recounted.

Actually wala po tayong problema sa kanila at binigyan po ako ng opportunity kaya sinamantala ko po yung pagkakataon (We don't have a problem with them and they gave me the opportunity and I took advantage of it), Presa told ABS CBN.