spot_img
27.6 C
Philippines
Friday, March 29, 2024

Command conference maps out plans for protracted Ukraine crisis

- Advertisement -

President Rodrigo Duterte convened a special meeting Tuesday night with law enforcement authorities and businessmen to plot the country’s security and defense plans and mitigating measures that would alleviate the impact on the country of a prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Duterte headed the joint Armed Forces of the Philippines-Philippine National Police command conference at Malacanang, as the authorities joined Cabinet members and business leaders in laying out contingency measures and assessing scenarios in case the battle in eastern Europe, which is entering its seventh day today, lingers.

The President said Cabinet Secretary and acting Palace spokesman Karlo Nograles would release details of the plans today (Wednesday).

In a caption for a video it released of the meeting, Radio TV Malacanang said: “The discussions include security and defense plans; economic, trade and human resource implications of the Russia-Ukraine conflict; and, mitigating measures and contingency plans and programs to be installed to alleviate the effects of a prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict to the Philippines.”

Earlier, Duterte said during his “Talk to the People” on Monday night: “I am assigning Secretary Nograles as sole spokesperson. I will meet the military, police, Cabinet members, but maybe not all of them. But it is an invitation for all so we can exchange ideas and come up with a sensible front on how to handle these things.”

- Advertisement -

“We will discuss what is evolving or what is happening in Europe. I want you to listen to how important it is that we know everything,” Duterte said.

The President said members of the Cabinet would also attend, adding “everybody is invited.”

“The invitation is for all so we can have an exchange of ideas with the military and police, and the businessmen so they can come up with a sensible front on how to handle these things.”

Duterte, who in the past described Russian leader Vladimir Putin as his “idol,” urged the public to follow the discussion, saying Filipinos do not yet have “a good grasp” on the situation.

The Palace did not say whether the meeting would be televised.

Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has triggered widespread condemnation, with the United States, Canada and the European Union imposing harsh sanctions on Russia, including freezing of bank deposits, and the stopping of gas pipelines and military exports to Russia.

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday said 13 Filipinos from Ukraine were expected to arrive in Manila last night.

The DFA through Philippine Ambassador to Poland Leah Basinang-Ruiz revealed that the second batch of Filipino nationals had departed Warsaw Chopin Airport in Poland on Monday and would arrive in Manila on Tuesday night.

The DFA said the new batch of repatriates is part of the 40 evacuees who left Kyiv for Lviv and were welcomed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. at the Poland border.

The department added that the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw facilitated their travel, flight documents, as well as their stay in a hotel in Warsaw.

The DFA through its Assistance-to-Nationals Fund shouldered all repatriation expenses, including transport expenses from Kyiv to Warsaw, food, and accommodation in Lviv and Warsaw, RT-PCR tests, and airfare to Manila.

Ruiz admitted that a third batch of Filipinos from the war-hit country “will cross the border from Lviv to Warsaw by Tuesday or Wednesday.”

At present, 215 Filipino nationals have been accounted for in Ukraine. This is also the number of nationals who have already reached out to the DFA and Philippine Embassy, Ruiz said.

The ambassador said despite some Filipinos choosing to stay with their families and employers in the foreign land amid the tension with Russia, they are hopeful that many more Filipinos will reach out to them in the coming days.

“We cannot really avoid it and of course we let them have their choices. Some will really be left in Ukraine who want to stay still in places there were they feel safe,” Ruiz said.

She assured the public that they the line of communication between the embassy and Filipinos in Ukraine will remain open.

“So we are always in contact with them and want to assure our compatriots that we are there in Lviv, we are ready to wait if anyone wants to help go home or evacuate to a safe place,” the envoy said.

Ruiz also assured that while the situation in Ukraine escalates, transporting of Filipinos from there to Poland is “well-organized.”

Also on Tuesday, Senator Richard Gordon commended the Philippine “yes” vote to the resolution of the UN General Assembly condemning the Russian invasion and demanding an immediate stop to the use of force against Ukraine and an unconditional withdrawal of all military forces from that country.

Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte urged the government to prepare for the adverse impact of the war in Ukraine. With Macon Ramos Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles