Palace slams ‘intervention’ by international lawmakers

MALACAÑANG on Monday, October 22, took a swipe at a global group of parliamentarians for meddling in domestic issues, particularly in the cases being faced by the opposition Senators Leila de Lima and Antonio Trillanes IV.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) plan to look into the supposed “political persecution” of De Lima and Trillanes was an “affront to the core of [the Philippines’s] principles.”

“We find it unfortunate that another prying organization has once again cast aspersion on the integrity of the legal processes of our country,” Panelo said.

“We consider such actions as interventions of our domestic affairs for they do not only show the Philippines in a bad light in front of the global community but worse, such one-sided evaluations infringe on our sovereignty,” he added.

The IPU, in its 139th assembly in Geneva, Switzerland on October 18, adopted two resolutions, expressing “deep concerns” over the alleged human rights violations against the two lawmakers who are known fierce critics of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The IPU noted that De Lima and Trillanes have always been “on the receiving end of harsh words from the President and his allies.”

De Lima has been detained since February 2017 for her alleged involvement in illicit drugs trade.

Trillanes, meanwhile, is facing revived rebellion charges after his 2011 amnesty was revoked by Duterte’s Proclamation 572.

The Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148, also on Monday, ruled that the dismissal of the coup d’ etat case against Trillanes has become final and executory.

The same court denied a motion by the Department of Justice for the issuance of another arrest warrant and hold departure order against Trillanes.

The Geneva-based group said the issue warrants “an urgent follow-up visit” by the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians to the Philippines.

Panelo slammed the IPU for not respecting the ongoing proceedings being conducted by the local courts against De Lima and Trillanes.

He also lamented that the international lawmakers had already reached an “incredible conclusion” on the cases involving the two senators.

“Unsurprisingly, it reached such conclusion even without hearing the side of the Philippine Government. This organization declares how it values adherence to the rule of law and due process but its actions speak otherwise,” the Palace official said.

“The act of publishing its findings even before conducting its intended probe already exposes

how biased this organization is. Hence, we raise doubts as to the organization’s competency, integrity and invulnerability to political pressures,” he added.

Panelo said De Lima’s arrest stemmed from a warrant issued by an “independent and competent” court, which found probable cause to indict the latter for drug-related cases.

He stressed that De Lima has been given “fundamental rights” since her trial is ongoing and she is given the privilege to choose her legal counsels.

“She even remains vocal up to this day thereby disclosing that her freedom to express whatever she feels remains unhampered,” he said.

On the case of Trillanes, his amnesty was declared void based on “legal justifications,” Panelo noted.

He added that the amnesty granted to Trillanes by the past administration had gone through a “defective process.”

“It is thus for the government to issue orders protective of the State and its people, and up to Senator Trillanes and his capable lawyers to defend whatever rights, if any, he has,” the Palace official said.

Panelo then called on the IPU to refrain from “commenting further in the aforementioned cases as these are veiled attempts to influence the outcome of the cases, which are now pending before our local courts.”

“In any case, we assure the IPU or any global organization that our justice system in the Philippines remains independent, effective, and functioning,” he said.

“The wheels of justice have started to grind, and the two lawmakers have been accorded due process and would continue to be given their respective days in court. Having said this, our State does not need guidance or directives from strangers. We can do well on our own,” he added.