PDU30, nagpalabas ng EO na magbibigay proteksyon para sa mga refugees sa Pilipinas

NAGPALABAS si Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte ng executive order na magi-institutionalize ng access sa protection services para sa mga refugees, stateless persons at asylum seekers.

Sinabi ni Pangulong Duterte na ang EO 163, na may petsang Pebrero 28 subalit ipinalabas lamang ngayong araw, Marso 2 ay alinsunod sa 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, 1954 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Person, at 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

“In this regard, the state shall closely monitor and ensure full protection of the rights of persons of concern to liberty and security, and freedom of movement. Subject to applicable laws and issuances, the minimum standards for the treatment of refugees shall be assured,” ang nakasaad sa EO.

“These shall include the provision of access to socioeconomic services, social security benefits, gainful employment and humane working conditions, education, participation in judicial and administrative citizenship proceedings, legal assistance and access to courts, and freedom of religion,” ayon pa rin sa EO.

Base sa EO, “defines refugee as a person who, owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his or her nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his or her former habitual residence as a result of such events is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.”

Stateless person, sa kabilang dako , hindi kinukunsidera bilang isang mamamayan ng kahit na anumang estado sa ilalim ng operation ng domestic law nito.

Inatasan naman ng EO ang Refugees and Stateless Persons Protection Unit (RSPPU) ang Department of Justice na suriing mabuti at iproseso ang pahayag ng mga refugee o stateless status.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has limited the ability of refugees, stateless persons and asylum seekers to cross borders to seek protection, bringing to fore the need to integrate and institutionalize relevant policies and programs of government agencies and ensure that these communities of people are properly protected and accorded the widest possible exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms,” ang nakasaad sa EO . (Daris Jose)