MANILA - Presidential candidates Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso and Panfilo Lacson shared their views on the Philippine government's decision to remain neutral when it comes to the war between Ukraine and Russia.

While Domagoso said the Philippines should so far remain neutral on the conflict, Lacson said the country should condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Domagoso said the country should be neutral to ensure the safety of overseas Filipinos in the affected areas.

“Sa ngayon, kailangang mag-neutral tayo,” he said during CNN Philippines’ presidential debate.

(For now, we have to stay neutral.)

“Ang mahalaga sa akin, yung natitirang pang mga Pilipino na nasa Ukraine, mailikas natin sa mga ligtas na bansa tulad ng Poland,” he said.

(What's important for me is to evacuate the Filipinos still in Ukraine and bring them to a safer place like Poland.)

Domagoso also said that if elected president, he would espouse a Filipino first policy and underscored that the primary role of a president is to prioritize his constituents.

“Anong kinalaman ni Juan Dela Cruz sa kasalukuyang hirap na kinakaharap nila?” he said.

(What does Juan Dela Cruz have to do with the current situation they are facing?)

“Before going to other things, bigyan muna natin ng panahon kung paano natin maitatawid ang ating mga kababayan sa pandemyang ito.”

(Before going to other things, we should give more time on how we can get our fellowmen through this pandemic.)

Lacson, on the other hand, said the Philippines should speak up against Russia's aggression as a signatory of the UN Charter.

"Article 1 ng UN Charter, signatory tayo diyan ano, na kapag ganyan na may aggressor, dapat may pakialam tayo. So may karapatan tayong magkondena sa ginawa ng Russia kasi nga signatory tayo sa Charter," he said.

(Article 1 of the UN Charter, of which we are a signatory, so we should have a say in it. We have the right to condemn what Russia is doing because we are a signatory of the Charter.)

"While we renounce war as an instrument of foreign policy, nasa Constitution natin 'yan, pero mayroon naman tayong pakialam dahil signatory ng UN Charter. Katulad ng sinabi ko, hindi naman masama kung makisama tayo sa mga peace-loving nations para maging bahagi 'yung boses natin ng pagkondena. Kasi aggression talaga 'yan eh, invasion," Lacson added.

(While we renounce war as an instrument of foreign policy, as is stated in our Constitution, but we should have a say because we are a signatory of the UN Charter. Like what I said, it is not wrong to side with the peace-loving nations so we can lend our voice in condemning it. That is aggression, invasion.)

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The turmoil between the two countries is expected to prompt global oil prices to shoot up in the coming weeks.

Vice President Leni Robredo meanwhile said the government should cushion the impact of the oil price spike by deferring the collection of excise taxes on fuel.

Labor leader Leody de Guzman for his part called for regulating the oil industry.

The international community has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week, and imposed economic sanctions against the Europe’s major oil producer.

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