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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Tolentino on Afghan refugee issue: 'Di naman lahat suicide bomber'

Tolentino on Afghan refugee issue: 'Di naman lahat suicide bomber'

Published Jun 17, 2023 09:16 am
Senator Francis "Tol" Tolentino (Senate PRIB)



It's up to President Ferdinand ‘’Bongbong’’ Marcos Jr. to allow the temporary stay of Afghan refugees in the Philippines as requested by the United States (US) government. Senator Francis ‘’Tol’’ Tolentino stressed this during a DWIZ radio interview Saturday, June 17, on the requested temporary stay in the Philippines of some 1,000 Afghan refugees. This batch of refugees are the first to be vetted before being granted special immigrant status in the US. The US request prompted Malacañang, through the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), to study the immigration, funding, and national security implications of their stay. Tolentino said there would be a total of 50,000 Afghan refugees who would temporarily stay in fully-secured camps and each batch will stay in the country for three months. He said the controlled stay of the Afghans in these guarded camps answers fears that they might be security risks or would act as spies as expressed in Friday’s public hearing by the Senate Foreign Affairs committee chaired by presidential sister Senator Imee Marcos. The Cost for the temporary stay of the Afghans would be shouldered by the US, he explained. Tolentino raised no objection to the proposed temporary hosting of Afghans awaiting resettlement in the US. If the applicants are correctly vetted, housed in a secured area, and would not incur additional expenses for the government, Tolentino said he sees no problem with the proposal. “If I may be allowed to express my personal sentiments, I don't see anything wrong here... If they (Afghans) were truly vetted," he said in mixed English and Filipino in Friday’s public hearing. "The only issue here is the process, which is shrouded in a non-transparent manner, not revealed to the country and not fully explained. But it is not the Afghans' fault," Tolentino added. Afghan refugees are also being vetted in Qatar, he said. He brushed off the stereotyping of all Afghans as suicide bombers. ’’Di naman lahat suicide bomber, bago nakapunta dito yan naprocess na yan (Not all are suicide bombers, they've been processed before getting here). Edukado ang mga yan (They are educated), Wala akong nakikitang masama na patirahin sila dito ng three buwan (I don’t see anything wrong with their being allowed to stay here for three months),’’ he pointed out. He said that the Afghan refugees are victims of political persecution by the Taliban. Tolentino also said he does not see any intention from Malacañang to hide the US request on the Afghan immigration issue.

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Francis Tolentino
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