The Philippines has said it is open to sheltering up to 3,000 “boat people” from Myanmar and Bangladesh according to a 19 May report on rappler.com.
The report also quotesCommunications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr denying a newspaper report that had said the Philippines “will push back to sea” these boat people.
In a statement, Coloma pointed out that the Philippines signed the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
“We shall continue to do our share in saving lives under existing and long-standing mechanisms pursuant to our commitments under the convention,” Coloma said.
Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand have sparked international outrage by turning away boats overloaded with migrants from Myanma’s ethnic Rohingya minority and with poor Bangladeshis.
Coloma's comments comeafter UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reiterated to regional leaders the need to protect lives and uphold international law. He has also stressed that leaders must uphold the obligation of rescue at sea and maintain the prohibition on refoulement.