Philippines to vote to condemn Russia invasion of Ukraine

The Philippines on Monday will vote yes to a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Russia's "unprovoked armed aggression" in Ukraine.

In its statement to be delivered at a rare special emergency session of the UNGA, the Philippines delegation appeals for the protection of civilians and an end to hostilities.

It added that "while an offense can be stopped at will, the defense cannot rest until the offense stops.

"We call for massive assistance commensurate with the growing humanitarian crisis and echo the UN Secretary General’s appeal for respect of humanitarian principles to protect civilians and civilian infrastructures in Ukraine."

The move to hold the UNGA emergency session, to begin at 10 a.m. local time (11 p.m. Philippines time) was sparked by Russia's using its veto on Friday to block a Security Council resolution that condemned Moscow's invasion and called for the immediate withdrawal of its troops.

Russia voted against the resolution, but it did not have veto power to derail the referral of the war to the General Assembly, allowed under a 1950 resolution called "Uniting for Peace."

According to the UN, this is the first UNGA emergency special session to be held since 1982.

Sanctions

Russia began its invasion of Ukraine last Thursday, with the Kremlin claiming that the separatist leaders of Ukraine's Donetsk and Lugansk regions had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to "help them repel Ukraine's aggression."

Putin also said that he was left with "no choice" but to invade Ukraine to defend Russia. This explanation was roundly rejected by Western countries and the United Nations, which accuse Moscow of violating Article 2 of the UN Charter, requiring its members to refrain from the threat or use of force to resolve a crisis.

Sanctions against Russia have been increasing in quantity and intensity since, with several nations banning Russian planes from their airspace and some Russian banks' being removed from SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication), a secure messaging network that facilitates rapid cross-border payments, making it a crucial mechanism for international trade.

Across Russia itself, thousands of anti-war protesters in dozens of cities have been arrested since the start of the invasion.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana was earlier quoted as saying that the Philippines would remain "neutral" on the issue, and that it has nothing to do with events in Europe. 

He later expanded on his statement, saying, "Of course, I care. We all care, we are humans.

"Not only should we be aware but also be concerned of what’s happening in different parts of the world. But I reiterate what I said that I hope the principal players in this developing scenario could resolve their differences in a friendly and amicable way. For now, our top priority is the repatriation of our citizens from Ukraine to a safer place."

The Philippines' embassies and consulates in nearby countries have been assisting in evacuating Filipinos from Ukraine. — BM, GMA News