Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. mentioned Monday that they had been nonetheless awaiting phrase from the Department of Justice if the United States’ request that the Philippines briefly home refugees from Afghanistan was authorized.
“‘Yung sa Afghan refugees, inuulit ko, hinihintay pa namin ang opinyon ng DOJ kung ito ay legal at puwedeng pagbigyan o hindi. Kasi kung di maaari sa batas ng Republika, ano pa ang paguusapan natin?” Teodoro instructed reporters on the sidelines of an occasion in Quezon City.
(As for the Afghan refugees, I repeat, we’re nonetheless ready for the opinion of the DOJ if that is authorized or not. If this isn’t allowed underneath our legal guidelines, what’s there to speak about?)
“Ito, hindi humanitarian ang hinihingi eh. SIV (special immigrant visa) ito so ibang kaso ito at kahit na humanitarian ang rason, inaaral pa rin ng ating gobyerno ang lahat ng implikasyon,” he added.
(The motive for his or her request just isn’t humanitarian. This is about SIVs, so it’s a completely different case. And even whether it is for humanitarian causes, the federal government wants to check the implications.)
Teodoro mentioned there was no timeframe concerned as this was being rigorously studied.
Asked if the matter was already mentioned with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Teodoro mentioned, “Hindi pa umabot sa kanya ang usapin na ito kasi nga pinagaaralan muna natin.”
(This has not reached him but as a result of we’re nonetheless finding out it.)
Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil mentioned the matter was underneath analysis.
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez earlier mentioned the nation’s response to the US’ request might come out by round July 15.
“I would think that before the middle of July, we should be able to make a decision. The memorandum for the President’s approval or disapproval, whichever the case may be, will be sent to Malacañang as probably as late as July 15… That is more or less what we are tracking right now from here, from Washington DC,” Romualdez mentioned in on ANC.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee launched a probe into the matter after Senator Imee Marcos filed a decision asking why the US opted to deal with the Afghans out of the country and never in their very own nation regardless that these people had been “supporters of the US and possibly, even former employees of the US government or US companies.”
US President Joe Biden raised the matter with Marcos throughout the latter’s state go to to Washington final May. — DVM, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
