PHILIPPINES SUPPORTS TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 000878 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/RA, IO/T, EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2018 TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP IR RP MNUC SUBJECT: PHILIPPINES SUPPORTS TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON IRANIANS REF: SECSTATE 33674 Classified By: Political Counselor Thomas B. Gibbons, Reasons 1.4 (b) a nd (d) ¶1. (C) The Philippine government has agreed to deny visas to the individuals designated in UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) 1737, 1747, and 1803. Director Leah Ruiz of the Office of United Nations and International Organizations (UNIO) at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) told POLOFF April 7 that the DFA had carefully studied UNSCR 1803, and fully agreed with the U.S. commitment to a de facto travel ban (per reftel). Special Assistant Querobine Deapera confirmed April 8 that the DFA Office of Consular Affairs was aware of the three UNSCRs, particularly 1803. Ruiz called the Office of Consular Affairs the "first line of defense" and said that individuals such as the 35 designated in UNSCRs would be denied visas at the Philippine Embassy in Tehran. If Iranians applied for a visa outside of Iran -- such as Iranian students abroad -- their information would be sent to the Philippine Embassy in Tehran as well as to DFA offices in Manila for processing, where the designated individuals would be noted. Deapera explained that the Office of Consular Affairs also forwards information to the Bureau of Immigration, which would become involved if the consular line of defense were breached. Ruiz outlined that the Bureau of Immigration denies individuals entry at air and seaports, and deports individuals fraudulently or accidentally admitted to the Philippines, and that the Bureau of Immigration would use the list of designated individuals for that purpose, as required. According to Deapera, in disseminating information to Philippine diplomatic posts, the Office of Consular Affairs also consults regularly with Philippine intelligence agencies (she specifically cited the Anti-Terrorism Council). Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website: http://www.state.sgov. KENNEY