MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is considering to call for additional security for flights along the path of the downed Malaysia Airlines plane that carried 298 passengers, including 3 Filipinos, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Friday, July 18.

When asked about the possibility of calling for more security, DFA spokesman Charles Jose said in an interview on ANC’s Headstart, “We may be reviewing that, and will issue the appropriate advisory depending on the outcome of our assessment.”

Jose noted, however, that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has vouched for the safety of MH17’s flight route.

In a statement, Najib said, “The aircraft’s flight route was declared safe by the International Civil Aviation Organization. And the International Air Transportation Association has stated that the airspace the aircraft was traversing was not subject to restrictions.”

“So we can say that the flight plan taken by the airline is safe,” Jose said.

Jose made the statement after Malaysia Airlines Europe vice president Huib Gorte confirmed that 3 Filipinos were among the 298 passengers on board Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 that crashed in strife-torn eastern Ukraine on Thursday, July 17.

US officials said the plane was shot by a surface-to-air missile.

In his interview on ANC, Jose added the Philippines has no information about the names of the Filipino victims, because Malaysia Airlines has only released the passengers’ nationalities and not their identities.

He said the Philippine embassies in Malaysia and in the Netherlands, however, “are coordinating closely with the concerned authorities as well as with Malaysian airlines to be able to secure more information.”

“And at the same time we can give the assurance, especially to the families of the victims, that our embassies are prepared to extend all the necessary assistance to help them, especially in the identification of the remains,” he said.

The Philippines will also help in repatriating the remains of the Filipino victims, Jose added. – Rappler.com