There aren’t any formal negotiations but between the Philippines and the United States on the latter’s request to quickly home overseas nationals from Afghanistan within the nation, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez mentioned Friday.
“We have not entered into any negotiation with the United States on this issue. It’s only been through informal contact,” Manalo advised a Senate panel Friday when requested in regards to the standing of the Philippine authorities’s evaluation of the US request.
In a separate assertion, Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil confirmed the request got here from the US.
“The request is currently under evaluation,” she mentioned.
Senator Imee Marcos, who sought an inquiry into the matter, requested if this isn’t thought-about a negotiation even when Manalo mentioned {that a} idea notice was despatched to the Department of Foreign Affairs in October final 12 months.
“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 mentioned.
Romualdez backed Manalo’s assertion, saying the US State Department is simply following up their request to the Philippine authorities.
“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 mentioned.
“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 mentioned.
Should the Philippine authorities decline US’ request, Romualdez mentioned they will go to a different nation for the processing of the Afghan nationals’ particular 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 mentioned.
The Senate overseas relations committee launched an investigation into the matter after Sen. Marcos questioned why the US opted to accommodate the Afghans out of the country and never in their very own nation despite the fact that these people have been “supporters of the US and possibly, even former employees of the US government or US companies.”
Marcos mentioned, “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 obtained an idea notice from the US authorities final October 22, 2022, which indicated a “request” for the Philippine authorities to permit Afghans formally employed by the US authorities and their certified dependents to quickly keep within the Philippines to course of their SIV purposes with the US Embassy in Manila.
The request was personally raised by US President Joe Biden with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in the course of the latter’s state go to to America final May, Manalo disclosed.
In the idea notice and within the casual talks that he had with US officers, Manalo mentioned all Afghans can be touring with legitimate passports. They would bear rigorous safety vetting and background checks if they’d labored for the US authorities earlier than arriving within the Philippines.
All prices can be shouldered by the US authorities, and the US and Philippine governments would choose an appropriate web site the place they’d keep whereas their SIVs have been processed.
The Philippines might additionally impose mobility restrictions on the Afghans and no Afghan can be left behind within the Philippines, even those that could also be denied SIVs.
If the request is granted by the Philippine authorities, Manalo and Romualdez mentioned the Afghans are allowed to remain for 59 days.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
