PHL ‘strongly concerned’ over missile attacks vs. Saudi Arabia


By MARGARET CLAIRE LAYUG, GMA News
The Philippines on Saturday expressed strong concern over the spate of ballistic missile attacks targeting Saudi Arabia as it endangers the lives of almost a million Filipino workers in the Kingdom.
“The Philippines is strongly concerned over the series of ballistic missile attacks against Saudi Arabia, including the recent launches targeting populated areas of Riyadh, as this puts innocent civilians, including many of our kababayans there, at serious risk,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement.
Last Wednesday, Saudi Arabia air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile fired by a Yemeni group. The Saudi-led coalition said the ballistic missile was directed at a populated area in the capital Riyadh.
The Yemeni group's most recent attack came a month after the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia shot down another missile over Riyadh's King Khaled Airport last November 4.
As no casualties or damages were reported in the latest chapter of the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Cayetano thanked the Saudi Arabian government for keeping Filipino workers safe despite the two ballistic missile attacks.
“The Philippines is thankful to Saudi Arabia for continuing to ensure the safety and security not only of its citizens but also of our kababayans there,” Cayetano said.
According to the DFA, Ambassador to Riyadh Adnan Alonto has already assured Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia and their families in the Philippines that "contingency plans are in place to ensure that the Embassy would be able to lead Filipinos to safety in case the situation escalates."
Despite the attacks, Alonto reported that the situation in Riyadh "remains normal" and it was “business as usual” in the Kingdom.
The Foreign Affairs chief also expressed the Philippine government's high hopes for the conflict in Yemen to be resolved soon "for the sake of regional peace and stability."
“It is our fervent hope and prayer that a solution be found to the conflict in Yemen so that we could help bring about peace and stability in the Arabian Peninsula,” Cayetano said. — MDM, GMA News

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