Washington, D.C. — The Philippine Embassy in the United States has formally declined a request for a meeting from the advocacy group Tanggol Migrante, citing the group's simultaneous plans for major protest rallies and concerns over the sincerity of its intentions.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Embassy confirmed it had already forwarded Tanggol Migrante's letter, dated April 30, 2025, to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila for appropriate action. The letter reportedly contained a series of appeals, including those directly addressed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which the Embassy said fall outside its jurisdiction and require consultation with other government agencies in the Philippines.

"Several of the requests contained in the letter are beyond the remit of this Embassy and must be referred to relevant authorities in Manila," the statement read. "Convene a meeting at this time—while awaiting official guidance—would likely result in a mere reiteration of each party's positions without yielding any substantive outcomes."

The Embassy also questioned the group's motives, pointing to what it described as a "lack of sincerity" given Tanggol Migrante's concurrent preparations for protest actions targeting Philippine diplomatic posts across the U.S.

"The simultaneous request for a meeting and orchestration of protest rallies strongly suggests a predetermined agenda to use the meeting as a platform for further criticism, rather than to engage in constructive dialogue," the statement continued. "A recent incident in Oregon, where the Consul General of San Francisco met with Tanggol Migrante in good faith, only to be met with a coordinated protest immediately afterward, is telling."

As a result, the Embassy said it would be unable to accommodate the group's request unless the issues raised are addressed and a genuine willingness to engage in respectful, solutions-oriented dialogue is demonstrated.

Despite the firm tone, the Embassy reiterated its openness to dialogue with community groups. “The Embassy remains committed to engaging Filipino community organizations throughout the United States on a wide range of issues. We expect sincerity and mutual respect in all such engagements.”

Tanggol Migrante, a known migrant advocacy group, has been vocal in calling for more aggressive efforts from the Philippine government to assist detained Filipinos abroad and address alleged human rights abuses. The group has not yet responded to the Embassy's latest statement.