MANILA, Nov. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- The Philippine military Monday sentoff an advance party of 20 to strife-torn Haiti before the departure of its 135-man contingent.

    In simple send-off ceremonies, Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Efren Abu reminded the Philippine Contingent to Haiti party headedby former military information chief Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero to work as a team, together with other contingents in the region.

    "Our military mission both domestic and foreign is always aligned with our national policy. The Philippines' commitment to send forces to Haiti has emerged as the priority deployment," Abu added.

    The Philippine contingent will serve as force headquarters support unit in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.Among their functions is to secure VIPs (very important persons) in the Carribean nation.

    The advance party departed Manila on Monday night on board a Philippine Airlines aircraft, pass-by Los Angeles and Miami beforetheir arrival at the Haiti city capital of Port-Au-Prince, according to the military.

    The remaining 115 soldiers will leave the country soon as theirtravel papers are completed, said military information chief Lt. Col. Buenaventura Pascual.

    Already, 10 Philippine policemen have been deployed in the saidterritory.

    Pascual said the mission is to provide administration and logistical support to the UN Peacekeeping Force Headquarters, whose specific tasks include clerical support to the various staffof Force Headquarters like personnel, information, operation and logistics.

    Haiti is the third country where the Philippine military is maintaining soldiers acting as peacekeepers. The two other countries are Kosovo and Liberia, where soldiers have been conducting peacekeeping missions since last year.

    Last July, the government pulled out its peacekeeping contingent to Iraq on the demand of Iraqi militants who threatenedto behead Filipino truck driver if the Filipino peacekeepers are not withdrawn from Iraqi soil. Enditem