MANILA - Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, an expert in international law, warned the country of a “nuclear winter” should the ongoing tensions in the Korean peninsula escalate further.

Santiago said the so-called “nuclear winter” creates “dust clouds absorbing the sunlight, dropping temperatures, and damaging agriculture in wide areas of our country.”

Initially, a nuclear weapons blast – with the Philippines a possible victim – will release a “fireball of extremely high temperature, Philippine environment could be degraded for generations.” Residual effects include severe damage to health, such as leukemia, congenital defects and mental retardation, she said.

But with nuclear taboos compromised due to countries already thinking of striking back, the Philippines should be ready instead with analysis of laws that it could bring to international courts should it become a victim to the standoff.

“Should armed conflict arise, the Philippines should be ready with analyses of certain laws applicable in armed conflict, notably human rights conventions, the Genocide Convention, international humanitarian law, the principle of neutrality, and environmental law,” Santiago said.

She said the shift is now towards risk management.

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