‘Iraqi refugees not welcome in RP’

Bad news for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s political enemies.

The Philippines may style itself as Asia’s showcase of democracy but it does not accept political asylum seekers from other countries, Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople declared yesterday.

"It is not our policy to offer a political sanctuary to refugees from other nations. That includes everybody," Ople said in an interview following a report that a number of Iraqi refugees are hiding in the Philippines. He did not elaborate.

A former Iraqi soldier, Akmad Ahmad, 44, claimed in a clandestine interview in Quezon City last Monday that "a good number" of Iraqi refugees opposed to Saddam are hiding in the country.

"We have chosen the Philippines to live (in) temporarily because we are quite assured of our security in this democratic country," he said.

He, however, refused to be photographed for fear that Iraqi spies may be in the country.

Supportive of US attempts to unseat Saddam, Ahmad said he and his fellow countrymen will return to Iraq to rebuild his country once Saddam is ousted.

"Saddam must leave Iraq for the sake of the Iraqi people," he said. Almost all Iraqis are against Saddam, Ahmad said, but they are afraid to speak out for fear of execution.

Yesterday, the authorities confirmed the presence of suspected Iraqi spies in the country.

About 20 of them have been photographed by local intelligence agents meeting with local Muslim rebels and other groups opposed to the government, the source said.

"That is the reason why (Immigration Commissioner Andrea Domingo) has ordered their arrest," the source said. "As a condition for their stay here, they should not participate in any political actions because this country is not the forum for them."

Authorities earlier said "supporters" of the Iraqi president have "tapped" the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to launch "terror" attacks in the country, mostly in Metro Manila and Mindanao, if the US attacks Iraq. – With Jose Aravilla, Jess Diaz, Roel Pareño, Romel Bagares, AFP