DFA verifies China's report of over 100 Filipinos held abroad
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) logo and building facade. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is verifying China’s report that more than 100 Filipinos were. . .
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) logo and building facade. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is verifying China’s report that more than 100 Filipinos were apprehended for alleged immigration violations, saying it is still determining the exact number and status of those involved. The DFA said Thursday it was coordinating with the Philippine Embassy in Beijing and Philippine consulates-general in China to establish the circumstances of the reported apprehensions, ensure due process and provide consular assistance as needed. “The department is in close coordination with our Embassy in Beijing and our Consulates-General to verify the circumstances of the arrests, ascertain the exact number and status of those apprehended, ensure that due process is observed, and extend consular assistance as needed,” the agency said. Article continues after this advertisementThe DFA’s statement followed remarks by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on Monday regarding Filipinos who had recently been investigated and handled in China for suspected violations of Chinese law. FEATURED STORIESGLOBALNATIONGLOBALNATIONGLOBALNATIONGuo said China’s national immigration authorities had been conducting special operations to strengthen supervision of foreigners who illegally enter, live or work in the country. “Actions have been taken in accordance with the law against over 100 Philippine nationals for illegally working or living in China,” Guo said. He was responding to a Global Times question on whether the action against Filipinos could be seen as China’s response to the Philippines’ frequent detention of Chinese nationals. Guo said Chinese immigration personnel acted in a “standard and civil manner” during the operations and ensured the protection of the rights and interests of the foreign nationals concerned. Article continues after this advertisementThe DFA said the Philippines respects China’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws, just as it respects the right of every state to enforce its laws on foreign nationals within its jurisdiction. It stressed, however, that such enforcement should be carried out in accordance with due process and established legal procedures. Article continues after this advertisementThe DFA also called on Chinese authorities to safeguard the welfare of the Filipinos and promptly notify Philippine Foreign Service posts of their arrest and detention, citing the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the 2013 Philippines-China Consular Agreement. The agency also said it would extend consular assistance as needed. Teodoro: China’s action is ‘extortion and blackmail’Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has accused China of using the action against Filipinos to pressure the Philippines over its law enforcement operations against Chinese nationals. “The action against 100 Filipinos is plain and simple extortion and blackmail,” Teodoro said. READ:Teodoro hits China over ‘extortion, blackmail’ of 100 FilipinosHe said Chinese nationals arrested by Philippine authorities were apprehended on the basis of search warrants issued by the proper courts and were principals of illegal enterprises. Teodoro also accused Chinese authorities of focusing on the work visas and passports of the Chinese nationals while refusing to address the alleged illegal activities that led to their arrests. “This is an admission by them that indeed the acts of these individuals were illegal under Philippine law,” he said. Teodoro accused the Chinese government of covering up for the individuals and warned that Chinese nationals who were not involved in illegal activities would be treated like other law-abiding foreigners in the Philippines. Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful. The Philippine government has yet to publicly provide a separate figure for the number of Filipinos involved in the Chinese operation, with the DFA saying it is still verifying the exact number and status of those apprehended. /mcm