Kuala Lumpur: Six Indian families staying in the hotel apartment complex, taken over by the renegade Philippines Army officers in a bid to overthrow the government of President Gloria Arroyo, are safe.

"All the six Indian families staying in the Oakwood Apartments which is in the area cordoned off by the Army, have been escorted out of the hotel and are staying in other hotels away from the area," Navrekha Sharma, Indian Ambassador to Philippines told Press Trust of India over telephone from Manila.

Oakwood Apartments is an hotel apartment complex in Manila's Makati district, a posh neighbourhood with many hotels and shopping malls.

"The incident does not concern Indians here but we are in touch with our nationals. They always have an access to the Embassy," Sharma said.

"We are watching the situation here and in touch with Delhi but we are not taking it as alarming situation as of now," she said.

Sharma said there were roadblocks, Army and police vehicles surrounding the Makati area where the incident took place, and troops everywhere, but Manila otherwise appeared calm.

There are about 30,000 legal and maybe around 15,000 illegal Indians in Philippines. They hail from different parts of India, but the most prominent communities are Sindhis who are largely involved in trading and property businesses and Punjabis who are engaged in retail and money exchange activities.

There are also many Indian nationals holding executive positions with multinationals here, Sharma added.

PTI