Palace: Safety of OFWs first before policy statement on Syria strikes

Malacañang on Monday explained why the Philippine government has not issued a statement on the United States-led airstrike in response to alleged chemical weapons attack by the Syrian regime.

At a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Philippine government's priority for now is to ensure the safety of estimated 1,000 Filipino workers in Syria.

"Inaatupag muna po natin iyong kanilang kaligtasan at saka na po tayo gagawa ng policy statement pagdating mismo doon sa isyu ng pagbobomba ng Syria," Roque said, adding a policy statement on Syria will be out soon.

Citing the United Nations charter, Roque said the use of force must be authorized by the Security Council "subject to a growing recognition of an exception not fully recognized as of yet under international law which is the responsibility to protect." 

"So bina-balanse po ng gobyerno natin iyang mga ganyang mga pananaw," he said.

Asked if the Philippine government will deploy troops to Syria should the US make a request, Roque said he would wait for instructions from President Rodrigo Duterte himself.

Duterte earlier said he would not allow Filipino troops to be dragged into the conflicts involving the US unless the Philippines is under direct threat.

Following the joint airstrikes by the US, Britain and France started last Saturday, the Department of Foreign Affairs strongly advised Filipinos there to remain indoors, exercise vigilance and caution, and to avoid unnecessary travel.

The Philippine Embassy in Syria had issued advisories to Filipinos as early as April 8 in anticipation of the military action against Syria following the alleged chemical attack in Douma and the mortar shelling of certain parts of Damascus in recent weeks.

US President Donald Trump said the airstrikes would not cease until the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stop its use of chemical weapons.

There were 17,000 Filipinos in Syria when the civil war erupted in 2011.

Syria has remained under crisis alert level 4 since then, but a number of Filipinos opted to stay.

Alert level 4 calls for the mandatory evacuation and total deployment ban. It is the highest security warning given by the Philippines on countries that pose security risks to Filipino travelers and workers due to armed conflict or disaster. —KBK, GMA News