Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will not take in refugees from Afghanistan unless it is through a request from another government, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Monday.
“With the formal end of evacuations from Afghanistan, the next stage is processing and asylum—short or long stay. The Philippines will not accept nor listen to any proposition to accept any refugees unless it is government to government and only by their respective Foreign and Justice ministers,” Locsin said on Twitter.
The foreign affairs chief specifically mentioned the United Kingdom, the United States, and other Western countries which are “most active in the evacuation.”
“We will not entertain any request for asylum coming from NGOs (non-governmental organizations) however well-meaning or reputable or any other non-state parties,” he added.
1 THE WORLD IS ON NOTICE. With the formal end of evacuations from Afghanistan, the next stage is processing and asylum—short or long stay. The Philippines will not accept nor listen to any proposition to accept any refugees unless it is government to government and only by their
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) August 30, 2021
Earlier, Malacañang said it is willing to accept refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan after the Taliban seized control over its capital Kabul.
But Locsin said that while the Philippines was the “one of the first to offer” a helping hand to refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan, he stressed the need to ensure that “we aren’t dragged into a racket.”
Listen, we were ONE OF THE FIRST to offer. We just wanna make sure we aren’t dragged into a racket. https://t.co/4uTSJ0WuUC
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) August 30, 2021
“I predict that refugees will be the next lucrative order of business, having plenty of cash in hand or in foreign bank accounts,” Philippine’s top diplomat said.
“The temptation will be resistible to help them and help oneself to them. That will never happen under this administration or in my watch,” he added.
3 refugees will be the next lucrative order of business, having plenty of cash in hand or in foreign bank accounts. The temptation will be resistible to help them and help oneself to them. That will never happen under this administration or in my watch. Don’t even talk to me.
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) August 30, 2021