PH, US coordinate to protect Pinoys over rising hate crimes

MANILA – The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. on Friday said it continues to engage American authorities to protect Filipinos amid the alarming rise in anti-Asian violence in the United States.

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said the State Department already received their note verbale requesting immediate assistance to strengthen the protection of Asians, including Filipinos and Filipino-Americans in the country.

A letter has been also sent to the US Senate, which was followed by a Senate committee hearing that probed on the reported hate crimes against people of Asian descent since the start of the pandemic.

“Maganda naman ang mga sagot ng FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) dahil sila ay gumagawa ng puwede nilang gawin para matigil itong hate crimes so marami silang mga agents na na-spread out all over the US (The response of the FBI is good and they are already taking actions to stop these crimes and has also deployed their agents all over the US),” he reported.

“Things are moving in the right direction in the sense that they are well aware of these hate crimes that are now happening because of Covid-19,” he added.

Last month, Filipino-American Noel Quintana was slashed with a boxcutter knife while on a morning commute in New York.

His assailant, described as between 20 and 30 years old and wearing blue jeans and a red hoodie during the incident, reportedly kicked Quintana’s bag while on the train, prompting the 61-year old Filipino-American to move away.

A New York Daily News said the man followed and kicked Quintana’s bag again before taking a box-cutter knife to cut his face.

The next thing the Filipino-American knew was blood was flowing down from the long gash across his face that stretches from cheek to cheek.

“Na-alarm kami doon (We were alarmed by that) and immediately we called our consulate in New York and called the attention of the State Department that we are very concerned about the safety of many Filipino-American and Filipinos living in New York,” Romualdez said.