Palace defends deportation of Taiwanese to China

MANILA, Philippines –  Malacañang sees no need to apologize for deporting 14 Taiwanese to China.

However, President Aquino said he might send an emissary to Taiwan to discuss the issue with authorities.

“I might be sending an emissary to discuss with them (Taiwanese government) particular issues and to explain why we decided the way we decided,” he said.

Speaking to reporters, Aquino said he has designated the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), the unofficial Philippine embassy in Taipei, to handle the issue.

“So, can we just wait for the emissary, who would be sent and who is subject to the restrictions imposed by our laws.”

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the deportation of the 14 Taiwanese to China was “in the national interest.”

“We have maintained our position that the reason why we have deported (them) to the People’s Republic (of China) was because we do not wish to be a haven of international crime syndicates here in the Philippines,” he said.

“The evidence is in China, the crime was committed in China, so it was in our best interest, in our national interest to deport them to China.”

Lacierda said the issue would be best discussed between the MECO and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), Taiwan’s de facto embassy in Manila.

“We have asked MECO to make representations with TECO, with the Taiwan government regarding this matter,” he said.

“We hope that this will not escalate to further strain on the relationship between MECO and TECO.”

Lacierda said the alleged violation of laws would be the province of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

“These Taiwanese nationals were part of an international crime ring,” he said.

“So, on that basis and based on the evidences presented, again, based on our national interest - we did what was proper for us to do.”

Lacierda said the administration is aware of the plight of about 80,000 Filipino workers in Taiwan.

“Certainly, there are concerns about it, the labor employment to Taiwan and also the concerns of our Filipino nationals there,” he said.

CA to BI: Explain deportations

The Court of Appeals (CA) ordered the Bureau of Immigration (BI) yesterday to explain why the 14 Taiwanese were deported while their petition for habeas corpus was being heard.

BI Commissioner Ronaldo Ledesma was ordered to explain why he should not be held in contempt for failing to present the Taiwanese before the CA.

Ledesma was given 10 days or until Monday to comply with the order.

Last Jan. 31, the CA issued a writ of habeas corpus ordering the BI “to produce the living body” of petitioners Chen Ho-Yang, Li Yuan Hsing, Tai Yao-Pin, Chen Chia Hsiang, Lee Hsiang Pin and Lin Ying Chang, six of the 14 deported Taiwanese, at the CA on Feb. 2 at 2 p.m.

The CA also directed the BI, Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation to submit a return of the writ on or before the scheduled hearing.

The respondents were also ordered to comment within 10 days or until Monday on the petitioners’ motion for the issuance of a temporary restraining order seeking to enjoin them from ordering their deportation.

Last Feb. 2, the CA learned from Assistant Solicitor General Renan Ramos that the petitioners had already been deported to China at around 6 a.m. on the same day.

Ramos told the CA the BI had subjected petitioners to a summary deportation proceeding in the absence of temporary restraining order.

China happy with deportations

China expressed yesterday appreciation to the Philippines for the arrest and deportation of 24 Chinese and Taiwanese suspected of swindling several Chinese of $20 million.

“This is a joint operation of law enforcement cooperation between China and the Philippines in accordance with the one-China policy and the relevant bilateral arrangements,” the Chinese embassy said in a statement.

The embassy said arrangements between the Philippine and Chinese sides aim to jointly and effectively crack down on transboundary crimes.

“We are very much grateful and we very much appreciate the effective assistance rendered to the Chinese side by the Philippine government,” the embassy said.

Taiwan envoy to leave Phl

Taiwan’s de facto envoy in Manila is set to leave this week after being recalled home.

Speaking to reporters, Ambassador Donald Lee said the Philippines has intervened in Taiwan Strait affairs when the 14 Taiwanese were deported to China last Feb. 2 based on the one-China Policy.

“We understand that it is purely a political policy, and not a law of the Republic of the Philippines,” he said.

Lee said foreign policy should be anchored on national laws to pursue national interests.

“In this situation, it is the Republic of China that exercises jurisdiction in Taiwan, and not the People’s Republic of China,” he said.

Lee reminded the government that Filipinos going to Taiwan apply for visas with the TECO, not the Chinese embassy, and that Filipinos working in Taiwan earn New Taiwan dollar, not Chinese yuan.

“The Philippine administration should not have intervened in the Taiwan Strait affairs,” he said.

Lee said the Philippine government, from the beginning, failed to inform TECO about the process and developments in the case of the 14 Taiwanese.

TECO obtained information about the case through its own channels, he added.

Lee said TECO learned that the lawyers of the Taiwanese were able to secure a writ of habeas corpus from the Court of Appeals on Jan. 31, requiring the Bureau of Immigration, National Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Justice to present the Taiwanese for a hearing on Feb. 2.

“However, when TECO officials and the lawyers showed this writ of to the immigration officials at the NAIA Terminal I early in the morning of Feb. 2, the immigration officials on duty completely ignored it, an insult to a lawful order from the appellate court, and a disregard of the Philippine constitutional guarantee of due process and basic human rights to persons under Philippine jurisdiction,” he said.

Lee said TECO and the lawyers of the Taiwanese were not informed about a hearing at the BI on Feb. 1.

Lee said the “secretive” meeting treated the 14 Taiwanese as undocumented aliens, although TECO had already provided the BI certified copies of their Taiwanese passports long before the hearing.

“Furthermore, no prior notification of deportation was given to my office, and the deportation itself proceeded secretively at midnight, which shows no due respect to the government of the Republic of China,” he said.

Meanwhile, MECO chairman Amadeo Perez Jr. said Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has introduced a new policy that makes visa processing for Filipino workers bound for Taiwan longer.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan has a new requirement,” he said.

“The visa processing for OFWs before was 12 days then the visa was released. The requirement now of their foreign ministry is four months. It’s like a freeze in the hiring of Filipino workers in Taiwan.”

Binay: Gov’t has contingency plans for Filipinos in Taiwan

Vice President Jejomar Binay said yesterday the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has assured him that the government has contingency plans for Filipino workers in Taiwan.

“I hope that our workers would be spared from any form of retaliation,” he said.

“They are in Taiwan to work hard and earn a decent income for their families. I am optimistic that we can move past this misunderstanding.”

Binay, presidential adviser on OFW concerns, conferred yesterday with labor officials, who assured him that government agencies are prepared to extend help to OFWs in case the situation drags on indefinitely.

“However, I was assured by the Department of Labor that it is ready to mitigate the impact on our OFWs and prospective workers to Taiwan,” he said. “They have contingency measures in place. Our government is ready to help our OFWs.”

The Filipino community in Taiwan is estimated at nearly 100,000.

At least 70,000 or more skilled Filipino workers are in Taiwan and almost 20,000 household service workers.

Enrile: Gov’t must not apologize

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said the government must not apologize to Taiwan for deporting 14 Taiwanese to China because of its one-China policy.

“We maintain a one-China policy, and I think we are correct, if we are going to deport anybody we have to deport them to the country that we consider to be the political entity representing the group of people to be Chinese,” he said.

“Now, it is regrettable that some nationals of Taiwan happen to com-mit violations of our laws and we could not possibly openly and officially deport them to Taiwan and we are not open for diplomatic relations with an entity called Taiwan, Republic of Taiwan,” he added.

Enrile said, “So be it,” if Filipino workers would be affected by the government’s refusal to apologize to Taiwan.

“We are not living in a perfect world,” he said.

“We can all have our people back to the Philippines and we will also drive their people out of the Philippines.”

Belmonte: Resolve Taiwan row

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. urged yesterday the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Bureau of immigration (BI) to immediately resolve the diplomatic row with Taiwan.

“I hope our DFA and BI act swiftly,” he said in a telephone interview.

“Remember, Taiwan is a major trading partner of the Philippines.”

Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello said a mistake was committed when the Taiwanese were deported to China.

“I think the matter should be settled quietly behind the scenes to save the President from embarrassment,” he said.

Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles sought an explanation from the BI.

“Was the government really pushed to make a choice between China and Taiwan?” he asked.

“Was there no win-win alternative? If so, I hope the decision pays off. I hope that the jobs lost in Taiwan gains more jobs for more of our OFWs in China.”

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara said the country should take all measures consistent with a one-China policy.

Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao said the government should “appease Taiwan, short of apologies for the sake of our OFWs.”

Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe called for congressional inquiry into the incident.

DOLE: No hiring ban in Taiwan

The Department of Labor and Employment allayed fears yesterday of a hiring ban or mass termination of Filipino workers in Taiwan.

Labor Undersecretary Danny Cruz said the worst scenario that the government could foresee is a delay in the deployment of Filipino workers to Taiwan.

“There is no contingency plans at this time since there is no suspension in deployment and the worst we could probably see is the delay in the issuance of visa, which now takes two months from 12 days in the past,” he said.

Cruz admitted Taiwan’s new policy of requiring authenticated documents like the birth certificate could affect the deployment of workers.

“I’m sure it will affect our deployment, but not that much since the market is not totally closed,” he said. - With Pia Lee-Brago, Mayen Jaymalin, Edu Punay, Jose Rodel Clapano, Marvin Sy, Paolo Romero, Rudy Santos