Taliban fighters fire in air to disperse Afghan women protesters in Kabul on August 13, 2022. Wakil Kohsar, AFP

MANILA — An initial 300 Afghans are expected to come to the Philippines and stay in the country for the processing of their Special Immigrant Visas and final resettlement in the United States under and agreement between the Philippines and the US.

Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino also told his colleagues shortly before the Senate adjourned its plenary session on Wednesday night that these Afghans will be housed in a secluded facility.

“Ang pupunta po dito ay Afghan refugees. Sila po ay persecuted sa kanilang lugar (Those who are coming here are Afghan refugees. They are persecuted in their country). It is crucial to note that we are…in full support of the hosting of the refugees in the Philippines as a compassionate and solidarity-driven initiative,” he said.

Sen. Imee Marcos, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has criticized the agreement, saying the Philippines has enough problems as it is.

Tolentino said the move shows the Philippines’ respect for humanity and for international obligations and is "in line with our nation's values of compassion solidarity and international cooperation."

He said the country has in the past welcomed Jewish and Russian refugees during World War II as well as Vietnamese nationals who fled the Fall of Saigon in 1975.

He also reminded his colleagues that just as the Philippines wants overseas Filipinos to be treated with well in other countries, he hopes the country carries on its tradition of helping refugees.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros and Senator Robin Padilla joined Tolentino in backing the government's agreement with the United States.

RELATED: Some OFWs hesitate to leave Lebanon as fighting intensifies — OWWA

"Basically, we agree with the decision of the government to be a compassionate place, a compassionate country,” Pimentel said.

Hontiveros, for her part, said she wants to stand with Tolentino and other senators in “[opening] the door to safety temporary safety in our country to refugees and persons facing possible persecution, including women and children.”

Padilla stressed that the Philippines does not and should not see the refugees as a threat.

"Ang mga terorista at extremists po ang ating kalaban tulad ng Taliban. Ang mga refugees po na ating pinagbubuksan ay siya ring mga lumaban sa mga terorista at extremists sa Afghanistan. At sila din po ang ibang mga sibilyan na naipit sa giyera na sinamahan po natin. Tayo po ay kasama diyan sa giyera na yan."

(We are against the terrorists and extremists like the Taliban. The refugees we are letting in are the ones who fought against the terrorists and extremists in Afghanistan. And these refugees were caught in the middle of the war on terror)

REFUGE ALSO SOUGHT FOR PALESTINIANS

Separately, Padilla and Hontiveros also raised the plight of Palestinians married to Filipinos and their children who they believe should be allowed to live in safety in the Philippines.

"Nais ko na rin pong gamitin ang oportunidad ito upang idagdag po ang ating panawagan — na baka naman po maaari ding maging maluwag pa ang ating pamahalaan sa pagpayag naman din po ang mga Palestinian na may mga asawang Pilipino na napatalsik po dahilan sa giyera sa Gaza," Padilla said.

(I also want to the opportunity to call on the government to ease restrictions for Palestinians married to Filipinos who have been displaced by the war in Gaza)

Hontiveros said the Philippines should Palestinian spouses and their Filipino-Palestinians to find homes in the Philippines.

Earlier in the day, Senate President Francis Escudero says the Department of Foreign Affairs will be asked to explain the latest deal between the Philippines and the United States .

"Ito sa pagkakaalam ko yung mga tumulong sa mga Amerikano labanan ang terorismo sa Afghanistan hindi ito yun yung mga — bakit naman dadalhin ng Amerikano yun sa Amerika di ba?"

(These were the people who helped the Americans against the Taliban in Afghanistan — why would they bring their enemies to America, right?)

Escudero also stressed that the Americans had promised their Afghan partners that they would be resettled in the US and not in any other country.

Sen. Marcos has raised concerns on why the Afghan refugees have to go to the Philippines first and not directly to the US. She also raised concerns on whether the refugees are US spies, what they will do in the country, and how long they would be staying in the Philippines.

RELATED VIDEO