Filipinos in Myanmar told to avoid protest sites as violence escalates
Tear gas and fire extinguisher gas float around demonstrators during a protest against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, March 2, 2021. Picture taken from behind a window. REUTERS/Stringer
MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos in Myanmar were told to exercise caution as tensions continued to escalate in the country.
“Filipinos in Myanmar are once more advised to avoid places of protest, monitor developments through reputable sources, and check with the Philippine Embassy in Yangon for further advisories,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Thursday.
The DFA said the Philippine government was “deeply concerned” with the tensions escalating in Myanmar after security forces opened fire in protests, where almost 40 people were reportedly killed since last month’s coup was carried out.
It called on police and military to “exercise restraint and refrain from using excessive force against unarmed demonstrators.”
The DFA likewise reiterated its call for the release of detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi and for the complete return to the previously existing state of affairs.
