Philippines ‘profoundly dismayed’ as death toll in Myanmar crosses 500

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines on Tuesday expressed alarm over the violence in Myanmar but again stopped short of condemning the country's junta which is cracking down on protesters who continue to demonstrate against the ouster and detention of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

"The Philippines is profoundly dismayed at reports of excessive and needless force against unarmed protesters in Myanmar on Armed Forces Day, which resulted in the worst violence since the military takeover," the Department of Foreign Affairs said. 

"We reiterate our call for security forces in Myanmar to exercise restraint and desist from resorting to disproportionate force against unarmed citizens." 

DFA added that the Philippines remains steadfast "in supporting Myanmar on its path to a fuller democracy beginning with the immediate release of State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and duly-elected civilian leaders." 

What is this about?

• A monitoring group on Tuesday said over 500 people have been killed in the Myanmar junta's brutal crackdown on protestors. Demonstrations across Myanmar by unarmed protesters have been met with tear gas, rubber bullets, and live rounds.

• World powers have ramped up their condemnation of the military's ruthless campaign against the movement demanding the restoration of democracy and release of Suu Kyi, with the US suspending a trade pact with Myanmar and United Nations chief Antonio Guterres calling for a united global front to put pressure on the junta. 

• However, the Philippines has stopped short of condemning Myanmar’s military. Instead, it has expressed profound dismay over the military's actions, called for restraint, for Suu Kyi's release, and the return of "status quo" in Myanmar. 

• Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has scorned many of the tools often used to exert international pressure, dissociating the Philippines from a UN Human Rights Council resolution demanding the release of Suu Kyi and other democratic leaders.

• Twenty-one civil society groups, labor groups, and non-government organizations earlier this month sought a tougher stance from the Philippine government on the bloody crackdown on protesters, urging Locsin to join them in the effort to "intercede" for the citizens of Myanmar who are resisting the military takeover of their democratically elected government.

— with reports from Agence France-Presse