EU Parliament set to debate De Lima case

THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) Parliament is set to debate on the cases in the Philippines filed against Senator Leila M. de Lima.

Should a draft resolution be adopted by the EU after the debates, it would “call for the immediate release of Senator Leila M. De Lima and for her to be provided with adequate security whilst in detention; call on the authorities of the Philippines to ensure a fair trial, recalling the right to the presumption of innocence, (and) drop all politically motivated charges against her and... end any further acts of harassment against her.”

The resolution also “strongly condemns” the alleged extrajudicial killings by vigilante groups in connection with the Philippine government’s anti-drug campaign, and “expresses grave concern with regard to the rhetoric of President[ Rodrigo R .] Duterte.”

Moreover, “there are serious concerns that the offenses [Ms.] de Lima has been charged with are almost entirely fabricated,” the resolution also said, as it acknowledged the detained senator as a human rights advocate and the “highest profile critic of President Rodrigo Duterte.”

Other than its criticism on the alleged 8,000 deaths in Mr. Duterte’s anti-drug campaign and on the counterinsurgency operations against the New People’ s Army (NPA) “with disregard for collateral damage,” the EU resolution also flagged how “human rights defenders, activists and journalists in the Philippines, including Senator De Lima(,) face regular threats, harassment, intimidation and cyber(-) bullying” vis-a-vis how “those violating the rights of these groups are not being held to account owing to the fact that proper investigations are not conducted.”

The resolution cited as its basis recent reports by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

In a press conference on Thursday, Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo said the department is monitoring the resolution.

“Our embassy there is monitoring the resolution of the Parliament,” Mr. Manalo said.

Explaining that the DFA would, if asked, provide the Parliament with information if prompted, Mr. Manalo said: “I hope that they’re in possession of reliable information that would help them make a good judgment and decision.”

Ms. De Lima is currently detained at Camp Crame, and is facing five complaints for violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act, particularly her alleged links to the drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison when she was Justice secretary. She is also facing a disobedience complaint for “inducing” her former aide and alleged bagman Ronnie P. Dayan to ignore the House of Representatives in its probe on the drug trade in the national penitentiary.