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Imee Marcos raises concern over US request for gov't to temporarily house Afghan nationals in PH
Philippines
National
Imee Marcos raises concern over US request for gov't to temporarily house Afghan nationals in PH
Imee Marcos raises concern over US request for gov't to temporarily house Afghan nationals in PH
Published Jun 8, 2023 07:24 am
Senator Imee Marcos on June 8, Thursday, filed a resolution asking the Senate to inquire into the United States’ request for the Philippine government to temporarily house some Afghanistan nationals, with special immigrant visa applications, in the country. Marcos, in filing Senate Resolution 651, said a letter, dated June 5, 2023 by the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), various government agencies were required to attend a “technical coordination meeting” to discuss the matter. Aside from the general topic of the meeting, as well as the time and place, the letter did not contain other important details, according to Marcos. But the meeting pushed through on June 7, 2023. The US’ involvement in the Afghanistan war started on Oct. 7, 2001 and ended on August 30, 2021. In calling for a Senate inquiry, Marcos cited Section 47 (b) of Commonwealth No. 613, also known as “The Philippine Immigration Act of 1940”, which states that the admission of aliens who are refugees for religious, political, or racial reasons is conditioned on the fact that the same is for humanitarian reasons and that such admission is not opposed to public interest. Marcos said sources have revealed that prior to the sending of such letter, the United States government had made a request for the Philippine government to allow the admission and temporary housing in the country of foreign nationals from Afghanistan. These foreign nationals, who are allegedly U.S. supporters, will be transported directly into the country from Afghanistan. “Representatives of government agencies raised various concerns. Some of the government officials present during the meeting were surprised that they were not given sufficient information beforehand on the matters that were eventually discussed therein and that their respective government agencies were not even asked to file their comments before the meeting,” Marcos said. The senator said there is an evident intent of the PMS to withhold from the public any information pertaining to the request of the U.S. and the approval by the Philippine government brings into question the real nature of such request and approval. She asked why the U.S. made such a request to the Philippines instead of other countries that are geographically much closer to Afghanistan. She also said there are other countries which are better-equipped to accommodate such foreign nationals, and thus “raises serious questions on the real intention and purpose of the U.S. in making such request.” “Whereas, the fact that the U.S. opted to house these foreign nationals in another country and not on U.S. soil even though these individuals are supporters of the U.S. and, possibly, even former employees of the U.S. government or U.S. companies, casts doubts on the character and background of some of these individuals,” she said. Marcos warned that “there is a substantial risk that individuals who pose a threat to national security and public safety may be admitted into and housed in the country.” During the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos recalled that the government had adopted the same policy to accept refugees from Afghanistan, but the government back then sufficiently disclosed its actions relative to such policy. “Furthermore, during the past year, security and espionage threats have substantially increased because of the sharp escalation in the tension between the super power countries. This, in turn, requires a more cautious stand in admitting refugees, particularly those whose entry into the Philippines is being brokered by one of such super power country,” Marcos said in the resolution. “Whereas, to safeguard the national security and the public interest, it is imperative to ascertain the true intention behind the request of the U.S. to temporarily house foreign nationals in the Philippines, the real nature of the agreement between the Philippines and the U.S. on this matter, and the course of action that the Executive branch plans to take,” she stressed. The resolution is expected to be taken up when the Senate and the House of Representatives meet in the second regular session of the 19th Congress on July 24, the day both legislative chambers convene at the Bataan Pambansa complex in Quezon city to hear the President deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA).