By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs hit back at Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, rejecting his claim that the agency is profiting from visa issuance and treating passports and visas as “commodities for sale.”
In a strongly worded statement, the DFA said all passport and visa fees are collected under the official government schedule and are part of state revenue.
“The DFA firmly rejects any suggestion that the Department treats passports and visas as commodities for sale,” it said.
The dispute stemmed from Remulla’s remarks on his radio program, where he alleged that about 1 percent of Chinese nationals who enter the Philippines visa-free do not leave. He suggested outsourcing visa screening to VFS Global and claimed the DFA earns from travel agencies that process visas.
Remulla also said he confronted DFA Secretary Tess Lazaro over the issue.
“Harap-harapan ko sinabi sa kanya ‘yan. I’m not doing this behind her back,” he said. He added that a “very big Fil-Chi businessman” in China complained to him about the practice when he was still Justice Secretary.
The DFA countered that visa issuance is a sovereign government function and cannot be delegated to private entities.
“While the provider may provide administrative support in receiving and facilitating visa applications, the authority to assess, approve, or deny Philippine visas cannot be transferred to a private entity through an outsourcing arrangement,” the department said.
It added that individuals abusing the visa-free entry privilege should be investigated by authorities. The DFA also denied issuing “fake” passports or imposing requirements that make applications “deliberately difficult.”
Citing legal grounds, the DFA pointed to the Administrative Code of 1987, which “expressly recognizes visa issuance as a statutory function of Philippine consular offices.” It also invoked the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, which defines visa issuance as a consular function of diplomatic missions.
Remulla, however, insisted that visa authority belongs to the Bureau of Immigration under the Department of Justice.
“There’s no other law that gives it to DFA,” he said.
ia/xf
