Philippines willing to receive Afghan refugees, asylum seekers

FILE PHOTO: Youths take pictures next to an Afghan flag on a hilltop overlooking Kabul, Afghanistan, April 15, 2021. REUTERS/Mohammad Ismail/File Photo

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is willing to accept refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan after the Taliban seized control over its capital Kabul, Malacañang said Tuesday.

“Since time immemorial po, the Philippines has had jurisprudence even before the convention on refugees welcoming asylum seekers. Sabi nga po ng Korte Suprema, the Philippines will not hesitate to admit individuals fleeing their homelands because of fear of persecution,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing when asked if the country is ready to accept Afghan refugees and asylum seekers.

(Since time immemorial, the Philippines has had jurisprudence even before the convention on refugees welcoming asylum seekers. The Supreme Court even said that the Philippines will not hesitate to admit individuals fleeing their homelands because of fear of persecution.)

“So welcome po ang mga asylum seekers sa Pilipinas. Lahat po ng kinakailangan ng kalinga dahil sila po ay pinepersecute sa kanilang bayan, meron po kayong lugar dito sa Pilipinas,” he added.

(Asylum seekers are welcome in the Philippines. Everyone who needs refuge because they are being persecuted in their own country, you have a place here in the Philippines.)

Meanwhile, 32 Filipinos in the now-Taliban-controlled country have been evacuated to Doha, Qatar, awaiting their flight back to the Philippines.

The Department of Foreign Affairs assured it is already arranging repatriation of all remaining Filipinos in Afghanistan.

The repatriation was made after security concerns prompted the Philippines to raise alert level 4 in Afghanistan, which meant a mandatory evacuation of Filipinos there.

KGA