US-NoKor row: Palace urges parties to stop issuing threats

AMID rising tensions on the Korean peninsula, Malacañang appealed Monday to all concerned parties to refrain from issuing threats and staging military action.

In a press conference, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said it would be best to "start talks" to address the nuclear stand-off between North Korea and the United States.

"We continue to enjoin all concerned parties to desist from threats and military action and we enjoined all sides to start talks. We shall be greatly facilitated by an end to missile test and attack threats," Abella said.

Abella's statement came amid the North Korea's threat to launch missile strike around the US Pacific territory of Guam, which has a population of 160,000.

The presidential spokesman made the assurance again that the government has prepared contingency plans, just in case the North Korean government pushes through with its plan to launch missiles aimed at the waters off the coast of Guam.

Abella assured that Filipinos in South Korea and Guam, which was pegged at approximately 65,000 and 42,835, respectively, would remain safe and secure despite North Korea’s threat.

"We commend our Seoul Embassy and our Guam Consulate for their contingency plans to secure Filipinos, if and when military conflict erupts," Abella said.

"We ask all Filipinos in Guam and Korea, and their families here to inform DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) or our Consular officials of their whereabouts," he added.

On August 11, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Brigadier General Restituto Padilla Jr. cautioned the public of the possibility that the Philippines may also be hit, if North Korea pursues its plan.

Padilla also reminded the public to be vigilant while assuring that there was a slim chance that the missile launch would have an impact on the country.

"If ever it disintegrates in the atmosphere, potentially, it would have shattered debris that may scatter around in the area or its trajectory so it could have hit some northern coastal areas. So we have to forewarn our citizens to be on the lookout," he said. (SunStar Philippines)

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