DOJ suspends implementation of revised travel guidelines for outbound Filipinos ---- By JOAHNA LEI CASILAO, GMA Integrated News

The Department of Justice, through the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), on Thursday announced that it will temporarily suspend the implementation of the revised travel guidelines for outbound Filipino travelers. In a statement, the DOJ stressed that the revised guidelines were to streamline the departure procedures. “The revisions were not intended to burden the general public but rather to enhance the overall experience of departing passengers,” it said. The DOJ also reaffirmed its dedication to upholding the rights and welfare of the public, including the right to travel freely. “We assure the public that the revised guidelines aim to strike a balance between national security and the facilitation of smooth and efficient travel,” it said. New Delhi said two areas on a map released on Beijing's state-owned Global Times newspaper belong to India. One was India's northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which China considers to be part of Tibet, and where the Asian giants fought a full-scale border war in 1962. The second was Aksai Chin, a high-altitude strategic corridor linking Tibet to western China. Fighting in 2020 that killed 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops took place in the Galwan river valley, which abuts Aksai Chin. Tens of thousands of soldiers have since been massed along both sides of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that divides the rivals. They remain despite 19 rounds of talks between top military officials of both countries. India's protest comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a rare face-to-face meeting in South Africa. Beijing called last week's meeting a "candid and in-depth exchange of views", but India said Modi had stressed that "observing and respecting" the LAC was essential. Modi's government has pumped billions of dollars into connectivity projects on its side of the border to boost civilian presence, and establish new paramilitary battalions. It is also seeking to develop closer ties with Western countries, including fellow Quad members the United States, Japan and Australia, which are themselves wooing India as an alternative to China. This came after the Senate adopted two resolutions against the new guidelines. It also approved another resolution authorizing Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri to file a temporary restraining order (TRO) with the Supreme Court (SC) if necessary. “The Department of Justice acknowledges the vital role of our esteemed senators as representatives of the people, entrusted with safeguarding the rights and welfare of our citizens,” the DOJ said. “It is our duty to address their concerns and provide them with the necessary information and clarifications,” it added. The DOJ said that the suspension of the implementation of the guidelines does not affect existing laws and regulations on travel and immigration procedures. “All existing rules and guidelines remain in place until further notice,” it said. ‘Right to travel’ The revised guidelines were supposed to take effect next week, September 3, after being approved by IACAT earlier this month. “The new guidelines are not stricter compared to before; they have been designed to comprehensively outline all of the requirements and documents that Filipinos need to secure before traveling,” said the DOJ in a previous statement. “The overarching goal of these guidelines is to mitigate the rising number of human trafficking victims. By providing clear, standardized departure procedures, we aim to fortify efforts against this pervasive threat to our citizens' safety and well-being,” added the DOJ. The new guidelines, however, were met with criticism by some lawmakers. In a privilege speech, Zubiri said traveling is a right mandated by the 1987 Constitution. “There has to be a way to protect our people without also hampering their right to travel. This is a constitutional right…It’s under Article III, Section 6 of our Constitution,” Zubiri said in mixed English and Filipino. Cagayan de Oro City Representative Rufus Rodriguez said the '“more stringent rules will unduly interfere with the Filipinos’ right to travel.” Rodriguez particularly slammed the possibility of requiring a traveler to show proof of financial capacity, which he described as a violation of the departing passenger’s right to privacy. “IACAT is allowing immigration officers to exercise ‘subjective judgment, whims and discretion’ on departing passengers. I am afraid that’s where extortion, harassment and corruption will arise,” he added. A former Bureau of Immigration commissioner, Rodriguez said human traffickers could even go around the additional regulations by providing their victims with show money. Senator Risa Hontiveros, meanwhile, said “Filipinos traveling out of the country should not be treated as second-class citizens within our own airports.” “Let us give our fellow Filipinos a chance to relax and visit their relatives without the stress,” she added. Kabataan party-list Representative Raoul Manuel called on the government to “scrap this policy.” “That is infringing on the constitutional right to travel and freely move. Authorities should hear us out and scrap this policy. If they want to fight human trafficking, this is not the way to go,” Manuel said. DOJ Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano, however, clarified that the revised guidelines are similar to the 2015 policy and that IACAT is not imposing additional documentary requirements on travelers. “Immigration personnel are just looking for red flags or potential trafficking victims,” he said. Clavano further said that from January 1 to May 15, 2023, there were 39,061 referrals for secondary inspection, and 25,297 of them were allowed for departure while 13,764 were deferred. Meanwhile, in an ambush interview, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said they are waiting for the Senate’s invitation so they can discuss the travel guidelines. Remulla also said that the attitude of the Immigration officers is sometimes the problem. “Kaya ngayon, nag-usap kami ni Commissioner Tansingco na ang training nila ay reminders talaga kung paano mag handle ng situations where questions have to be asked,” he said. [I talked with Commissioner Tansingco that they should focus their training on how to handle situations where questions have to be asked.] —VAL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News