Senators yesterday slammed the United States for interfering in the Philippines’ internal affairs through a provision in the US national budget for 2020 approved by President Donald Trump banning Filipino officials involved in the wrongful detention of opposition Sen. Leila de Lima.
Trump signed into law last Friday the US Fiscal Year 2020 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill which includes a provision prohibiting the entry of Philippine government officials who were found to be involved in the wrongful imprisonment of De Lima.
“It only shows they meddle with other country’s justice system without even investigating,” Sotto said in a text message when sought for comment.
Sotto earlier slammed as “racist” the provision and its proponents, Democratic Senators Richard Durbin and Patrick Leahy, for proposing the ban “when they do not know about De Lima’s case.”
Sen. Richard Gordon also rejected the provision, calling it an “intrusion on the internal affairs of our country.”
“All our institutions are working,” the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights Committee said.
De Lima has been detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City since February 2017 for her alleged involvement in the illegal drugs trade at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City during her stint as Justice Secretary.
Aside from Philippine government officials, the US would also prohibit the entry of Egyptian officials for jailing Mustafa Kassem despite his failing health.
Kassem is an American citizen arrested in 2013 for allegedly taking part in attempts to overthrow the government of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi. (Vanne Terrazola)
