No talks yet on allowing Afghan refugees in PH —DFA, envoy

There are no formal negotiations yet between the Philippines and the United States on the latter’s request to temporarily house foreign nationals from Afghanistan in the country, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez said Friday.

“We have not entered into any negotiation with the United States on this issue. It’s only been through informal contact,” Manalo told a Senate panel Friday when asked about the status of the Philippine government’s assessment of the US request.

In a separate statement, Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil confirmed the request came from the US.

"The request is currently under evaluation," she said.

Senator Imee Marcos, who sought an inquiry into the matter, asked if this is not considered a negotiation even if Manalo said that a concept note was sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs in October last year.

“Not considered (a negotiation) as we know it. Kasi it’s the idea of the US and we have within the Philippines gone over it and given our ideas to each other,” Manalo said.

Romualdez backed Manalo’s statement, saying the US State Department is only following up their request to the Philippine government.

“There’s never been any real, formal negotiations or discussions. The State Department has just been following up with us here in the embassy in Washington DC  and of course, they are always anxious whether it is a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and the sooner we do that obviously the better,” Romualdez said.

“It is because… it will also take them perhaps about four to nine months, I understand, to be able to make sure that whatever the facility that they would be using is precisely what we are concerned about, which is secure, everything that is needed for the board and lodging of these Afghan nationals will be in place,” he said.

Should the Philippine government decline US’ request, Romualdez said they can go to another country for the processing of the Afghan nationals’ special immigration visa (SIV).

“That’s why they are asking and following it up with us and it's up to us what we wanna do with it and whatever concerns we have, whatever we want to tell them, they are prepared to listen and if it is something that is possible, then do it. If not, then they go to another country for this,” Romualdez said.

The Senate foreign relations committee launched an investigation into the matter after Sen. Marcos questioned why the US opted to house the Afghans in another country and not in their own country even though these individuals were “supporters of the US and possibly, even former employees of the US government or US companies.”

Marcos said, “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.”

According to Manalo, the DFA received a concept note from the US government last October 22, 2022, which indicated a “request” for the Philippine government to allow Afghans formally employed by the US government and their qualified dependents to temporarily stay in the Philippines to process their SIV applications with the US Embassy in Manila.

The request was personally raised by US President Joe Biden with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. during the latter’s state visit to America last May, Manalo disclosed.

In the concept note and in the informal talks that he had with US officials, Manalo said all Afghans would be traveling with valid passports. They would undergo rigorous security vetting and background checks if they had worked for the US government before arriving in the Philippines.

All costs would be shouldered by the US government, and the US and Philippine governments would select a suitable site where they would stay while their SIVs were processed.

The Philippines could also impose mobility restrictions on the Afghans and no Afghan would be left behind in the Philippines, even those who may be denied SIVs.

If the request is granted by the Philippine government, Manalo and Romualdez said the Afghans are allowed to stay for 59 days.—LDF, GMA Integrated News