Saturday, January 11, 2014

Ex-solon wrong to bring matter of US visa cancellation to media

"If I could go, I would tell the truth to the North American people. President Reagan personally ordered my visa to be denied." TOMAS BORGE 

By Alex P. Vidal

Going to media and "blasting" the U.S. Embassy in Manila for cancelling his tourist visa, was like permanently saying goodbye to any chance to get another visa in the future for former Ifugao congressman and governor Gualberto Lumauig.
But the U.S. Embassy only cancelled Lumauig's B1/B2 or tourist visa, it did not ban him from applying again in the future.
Criticizing the U.S. Embassy in public would not stop the embassy from its decision to cancel any visa. 
A visa issued by any embassy is a privilege, not a right given to any citizen in the Philippines who wishes to travel to the United States and other countries.
The U.S. Embassy appeared to have exercised fairness when it informed Lumauig that his visa had been cancelled, thus he should not make any attempt to use it if he was planning to travel to the United States before Christmas Day last December 2013. 
It would have been another story if Lumauig wasn't told about the cancellation and he suffered embarrassment after being prevented from leaving the country in the immigration. 

REASON

Embassy officials may have valid reasons, but they reserve the right not to reveal these reasons in public as a matter of policy and security. 
The fact that Lumauig immediately sent a letter to U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg to seek for answers, bringing the matter to media was not anymore necessary. 
The U.S. Embassy would not give back what it had revoked only because the matter was discussed in media. 
The U.S. Embassy may have thoroughly studied Lumauig's case before making the decision to cancel his visa, and would not give special treatment to anybody. 
Any visa holder--congressman or not--would have been treated fairly.
It was reported that two days before Christmas, Lumauig received a letter from the U.S. Embassy. In part, it stated, "The U.S. Embassy hereby informs you that additional information became available after the visa was issued and your B1/B2 visa with expiration date of 03 October 2021 has been revoked."

REQUEST

Furthermore the letter stated, the report said, "The U.S. Embassy requests you to present your passport with the aforementioned visa... so that we may physically cancel the visa. Your passport will be returned to you."
ABS-CBN New reported that in the latter part of the letter, the embassy's Nonimmigrant Unit Chief Mignon Cardentey stated that Lumauig was welcome to apply for a visa again after the cancellation.
Before receiving the letter, the report said "Lumauig was all set to travel to the United States to see his ailing son who had just undergone brain surgery, so it was a great disappointment for him when he received a call from the U.S. Embassy informing him that his B1/B2 or U.S. tourist visa was cancelled."
"Gulat na gulat ako! On December 20 I was coming down from the province to Manila to catch a scheduled flight to the U.S. the following day, December 21. Midway en route to Manila I got a call from Ms. Laly Javier from the U.S. Embassy who identified herself as an information officer to tell me my visa was cancelled. I asked her, 'Why? What have I done?' She said she's not in a position to tell me why," Lumauig told ABS-CBN News.

SHOCKED

"Lumauig was shocked, especially since he had already traveled to the U.S. about 50 times since the 60's, and his 10-year visa is valid up to the year 2021," the report added.
Report said Lumauig did not anymore attempt to proceed with his travel. "I was very much disappointed but I'm not pleading for any reconsideration. Pero yung ginawa nilang 'yan, I think I deserve an explanation. I've been in government for so long with a record that's unblemished," said Lumauig.
ABS CBN News quoted Lumauig as saying, "I'm not anymore interested sa visa. I just want to know. It's my right to be told."
The TV network further reported: "Just last year, Lumauig had been to the U.S. twice. When he was still active in politics, he was sponsored by the U.S. to study at Harvard University.
"He doesn't even look like a terrorist, he said, especially at the age of 80 and could hardly walk.

ATTORNEY

"But according to one New York licensed attorney, the embassy's letter stated that they received additional information that led to the cancellation. But as to what the information is, no one but U.S. authorities knows.
"Atty. Howard Calleja said it is entirely up to the discretion of the U.S. whether or not to reveal the purported information.
"Calleja added a visa is not a right, but merely a privilege. This is no different when visa applications are denied and the reason is not disclosed.
"'That, at the time you applied for the visa, you withheld something, an information, and if proven true that is a big violation,' he said.
"ABS-CBN News tried to get a statement from the U.S. Embassy but they have yet to respond.What is clear is that all US visas can be cancelled at any given time as they continue to investigate visa holders all around the globe even if the visa has already been awarded."

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