DFA logo and building facade. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — US President Donald Trump did not cause the deportation of 24 Filipinos from the United States, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday.
In fact, DFA undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said they were charged under Trump’s predecessor Joseph Biden.
“Hindi po si President Trump ang nagpa-deport sa kanila. Hinuli sila, kinasuhan sila, panahon pa ni Biden,” De Vega said in a radio dwPM interview of the 24 deportees.
(President Donald Trump did not deport them. They were caught and charged under Biden’s time.)
“Nagkataon lang na presidente na si Trump nang sila ay ma-deport,” he added.
(It just so happened that they were deported under the Trump presidency.)
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said these Filipinos were deported due to their involvement in criminal activities.
De Vega also downplayed this, noting that this number is very small compared to around 2 million Filipinos in the United States.
“Sabihin natin 24 deported. Ilang milyong Pilipino ang nasa US? Two million. Ilan ang illegal? Maaaring 300,000. Ano yun? Napakakaunti,” he said.
(Let’s say 24 were deported. How many Filipinos are in the US? Two million. How many illegals? Maybe 300,000. What about that? It’s very few.)
During Trump’s first term, De Vega previously said that the United States deported “only a few hundred or less” undocumented Filipinos each month, which was fewer than during the Obama administration.
READ: 24 Filipinos in US deported for crimes
“Naiintindihan namin kung nababahala ang mga Pilipino diyan, pero sa magandang paraan. Wag sila masyadong magpapansin sa dyaryo. Alam ko ang Philippine Daily Inquirer, it’s in English, eh di pwedeng basahin ‘yan ng US. Hinihingi mo eh, hindi na nga ikaw hinuhuli eh,” De Vega continued.
(We understand if Filipinos are alarmed, but express it in a good way. They should not use newspapers to gain attention. From what I know, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, it’s in English, so the US could read that. It’s as if you ask for it, you were not getting targeted anyway.)