Lorenzana raises concern over the latest North Korea’s missile test

September 15, 2017

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana raised concern over North Korea's ballistic missile test on Friday morning, saying it was "a very dangerous act."

In a press briefing in Malacanang, Lorenzana said if North Korea would not stop, its other missile launches could land to other areas, like the Philippines, because North Korea's technology is not accurate.

"(T)heir technology’s not accurate. Or they might be aiming for some other, but it will drop into another country like the Philippines. Even the President (Rodrigo Duterte) is very much concerned about these missiles from North Korea," he said.

Lorenzana admitted the government could not do much to protect the people should this happen.

"Unfortunately, we don't have air raid shelters. At the height of the Cold War, the US have lots of underground bunkers. Huge bunkers, cement, deep within the earth. There were water, food that will last them for maybe months. Because they were afraid that there will be exchange of missile, nuclear weapons with the Russians, so they have," he said when asked if the Philippines have bunkers where people could seek refuge.

"Now, those bunkers are still there, they can still be used. We don't have. We don't have such preparation," he added.

Lorenzana echoed what Duterte said.

"'We cannot shoot the missiles so that it will not come here. Just go, do your daily --- what you’re doing regularly,' he said. 'If it's your time, it's your time'," he said, quoting Duterte.

"So what can we do? We cannot start digging now, digging for air raid shelters. We just pray and hope that the missile will drop somewhere there in Pacific Ocean," he added.

But he noted that United States has stationed its anti-missile systems in Japan and South Korea.

"The US has already stationed their Patriot missiles in Japan and also in South Korea. And also their THAAD, High Altitude to intercept any missiles coming from North Korea. So we hope that they can intercept (the missile) if it comes here," he said.

As for the Filipinos in the Korean Peninsula, including Japan, and in Guam, which North Korea also threatened to attack, Lorenzana reassured that the government is ready to evacuate them should the tension worsen.

North Korea on Friday morning again launched a missile, which flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido before landing in the Pacific Ocean. Celerina Monte/DMS