President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, March 3, urged all parties involved in the escalating Middle East conflict to exercise restraint, expressing hope for a swift ceasefire to end hostilities.

Speaking at a press conference at the Palace, Marcos acknowledged that the Philippines is not directly involved in the fighting but emphasized he hopes the violence will end, and that peace will prevail as soon as possible.

“Of course, we want the fighting to stop. But it's not, the Philippines is not going to call for a ceasefire. The only people who can call for a ceasefire are those who are involved. We are only involved tangentially, if you want to call it that, because of our people who are there,” he said.

He added, “We have expressed support for the countries that have come under attack. We have made our feelings known that we hope that this crisis ends as quickly as possible. And we are asking for the continued assistance for the safety of our people.”

The rising tensions in the Middle East escalated when the United States and Israel on Saturday launched attacks on Iran, targeting key military facilities and reportedly killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The attacks came amid accusations that Iran was developing nuclear weapons intended for use against them.

In response to the situation, Marcos has advised Filipinos in Iran and Israel to shelter in a safe place, like a bomb shelter, and avoid high-risk areas, as both countries remain at alert level 2.

The Department of National Defense (DND) clarified that the current tensions do not pose a direct threat to the Philippines. Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro emphasized that although the Philippines is a U.S. ally, the country is not a party to the conflict.