Imee criticizes decision to house Afghan refugees in PH

Senator Imee Marcos on Tuesday criticized the Philippine government’s decision that granted a United States request to allow the entry and temporary housing of a limited number of refugees from Afghanistan.

The senator reiterated her call for the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Executive Department to be “fully transparent on the real nature of the United States’ request for the Philippines to house Afghan nationals.”

She recalled the questions she posed in her resolution which sought a Senate inquiry into the matter, saying 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.”

“Kwinestyon ko kung bakit pinili ng U.S. na sa ibang bansa pa muna papuntahin ang mga Afghan nationals at hindi na lang sa U.S. na mismo. Hindi ba mga dating empleyado sila ng U.S.?” Marcos said in a statement.

(I asked why the U.S. chose another country to send these Afghan nationals and not directly to the U.S. Aren’t these former U.S. employees?)

“I ask these same questions now. And I repeat, are these refugees or U.S. spies moved out of Afghanistan at the end of the U.S. invasion of the country?” she went on.

The chairperson of the Senate foreign relations committee pointed out that the Philippines, where the Afghan refugees will supposedly process their Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for their resettlement to the United States, is “very far” from Afghanistan.

“May embahada naman ang America sa mga bansang katabi lang ng Afghanistan kabilang ang Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan at Uzbekistan,” she said.

(America has embassies in countries neighboring Afghanistan such as Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.)

Further, Marcos questioned the lack of transparency on the details of the agreement with the US.

“Hindi pa rin sinasabi kung gaano katagal silang mamamalagi dito at kung ilan talaga ang pupunta dito,” she said.

(They haven’t yet said how long they will stay here and exactly how many are arriving here.)

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza previously said the agreement covers a limited number of Aghan applicants for a limited period and shall be authorized to stay in the Philippines for no more than 59 days.

"They will be subject to full security vetting by Philippine authorities and should secure appropriate entry visa prior to arrival, in accordance with Philippine laws and regulations," Daza said.

"Notwithstanding the possession of a Philippine visa, the Bureau of Immigration retains full authority to exclude any applicant from entry into the Philippines as a result of the standard immigration examination upon arrival in the country."

All applicants will be confined to their billet facility for the duration of the processing of their SIV applications by the US Embassy in Manila, Daza said but did not disclose the location of the temporary accommodations.

Meanwhile, the US government, together with the International Organization for Migration as facility manager, will ensure that the applicants, especially the children, will have adequate social, educational, religious and emotional support during their stay in the billet facility.

All applicants will have been medically screened already in Afghanistan and need to leave their billet facility only once for their consular interview at the US Embassy in Manila, Daza said.

The agreement is an executive agreement, meaning it will only need approval of President Marcos before it becomes effective. —RF, GMA Integrated News