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THE
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has alerted
embassies and consulates in the 27 member-states of the
European Union (EU) of the possible mass deportation of
close to 100,000 undocumented Filipino workers in those
countries after the EU Parliament adopted the draft on
implementing tougher moves to ease out foreign illegal
migrants in the union.
At the
same time, Esteban Conejos Jr., foreign affairs
undersecretary for migrant workers affairs, activated an
interagency group to prepare for the mass deportation of
an estimated 200,000 undocumented Filipino workers in
Malaysia.
He said
the situation of undocumented Filipinos in Malaysia is
more delicate, as the deportees include women and
children who have to travel for more than 30 hours on a
boat to return to the Philippines.
An
average of 150 to 200 undocumented Filipinos are being
deported from Sabah every week on a regular basis since
2002. There are now 2,800 Filipinos detained in Malaysia
for illegally staying in that country.
“We have
always asked the Malaysian authorities to require
Filipino deportees to undergo a predeparture medical
checkup to ensure they are fit to travel by boat for 30
hours,” said Conejos during a press briefing on
Wednesday.
The
bilateral relations between Malaysia and the Philippines
were severely strained in 2002 after the deaths of two
Filipino babies as they were being deported to Zamboanga
at the height of the mass deportation of illegal migrant
workers in Malaysia. A 14-year-old Filipino girl was
also raped by Malaysian authorities while in detention.
The cases have prompted the late foreign affairs
secretary Blas Ople to file two consecutive diplomatic
protests against Malaysia for the harsh treatment of
Filipino illegal workers.
“There
are indications that things have improved in terms of
the treatment of Filipino illegal workers because we
have not heard of similar events since then,” said
Conejos.
Meanwhile, Conejos said the DFA has instructed the heads
of posts in the EU member-states to monitor the
implementation of the new EU policy on undocumented
foreign workers. EU member- states are set to implement
the common policy on foreign illegal workers in 2010.
“We will
not contest that sovereign right of the EU states to
decide on whom to admit and reject subject to customary
laws,” said Conejos. “But the procedures [of
deportation] must comply with the international
human-rights laws.”
Conejos
admitted that there is huge number of undocumented
Filipino workers in EU member-states, specifically in
France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. The DFA
estimates that there are more than 90,000 undocumented
Filipino workers in the EU countries.
“We have
instructed our posts in Europe to look at how this [EU
policy] will develop in the next two days and monitor
the situation of the affected Filipino workers,” said
Conejos.
The DFA
official also advised undocumented Filipino workers in
Europe to take advantage of the options being provided
by host governments that will allow them to regularize
their stay.
“If the
host government is providing options for them to
regularize, by all means regularize,” said Conejos.
He said
these options, along with amnesty programs for illegal
immigrants, are now being implemented in Spain and
Italy.
The DFA
official also stressed that Filipino illegal workers
should also comply with return orders being issued by
European states to prevent possible harsh treatments by
the implementing authorities.
“If you
are undocumented. . . you are vulnerable to abuse,” said
Conejos. “But we appeal to the European authorities that
when they deport, they should do it in a humane manner.” |
