THE Philippines on Friday accused the European Parliament of interfering in the country’s judicial processes after it passed a resolution urging the government to free Senator Leila de Lima, who is being tried on drug trafficking charges.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs [DFA] expresses its concern with the European Parliament’s resolution on the case of Senator Leila De Lima as it casts aspersion on Philippine legal processes, its judicial system and the guarantees enshrined in the Constitution to uphold and protect the rights of all individuals,” the department said in a statement.
The DFA maintained that the Philippines firmly adheres to the rule of law and is committed to protecting human rights.
The DFA then called on the European Parliament and its elected members to get their facts straight to avoid the impression of interfering in the Philippines’ internal issues.
“While we recognize the independent standing of the European Parliament within the EU system, resolutions that are crafted by its members of Parliament must necessarily possess unimpeachable standards, given the extremely sensitive topic of human rights,” the department said.
“It is important that the elected members exert all efforts to secure more accurate information on resolutions, in order to avoid the impression of interfering in the internal affairs of sovereign non-EU countries,” it added.
The DFA said the case is still pending before the proper courts and the government will allow the legal process to proceed accordingly.
The government also asks the international community to refrain from influencing the outcome of a case that is rightly under the jurisdiction of Philippine courts, the DFA said.
“Allegations of state-sponsored extrajudicial killings are disturbing. The government is taking pains to investigate the veracity of these allegations of state-sponsored extrajudicial killings. This is being undertaken precisely to ensure that due process and the rule of law prevail even in situations of crises, such as the enormous drug problem that our society is facing. Public congressional hearings were convened to look into these allegations,” it stated.
The DFA also said the Philippines is ready to engage in a dialogue with the EU and other international partners on human rights and other issues.
In an interview Friday, United Kingdom Ambassador Asif Ahmad said the European Parliament resolution did not automatically translate to policy.
“Parliament is a bit like Congress here. Any independent body can raise whatever [issue] but that does not automatically translate to policy,” he said.
The British government, he said, merely wanted the rule of law to be applied to the case of De Lima, an outspoken critic of President Rodrigo Duterte.
De Lima was arrested last month on allegations that she accepted money from drug lords detained in the national penitentiary when she was still Justice secretary.
She has denied the charges and said they were meant to silence her questions about extrajudicial killings under the Duterte administration and during his time as mayor of Davao City.
More than 7,000 drug suspects have been killed in the government’s war on illegal drugs since Duterte took office in June 2016.
Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella on Friday urged the European Parliament to base its pronouncements on facts.
“We strongly encourage the European Union to be more circumspect in basing their pronouncements and decisions on fact-based evidence. So-called critics, with deep personal interests, have brilliantly manipulated biased information locally and internationally by using willing public officials who are agreeable to lend credence to baseless claims,” Abella said in a statement.
“We reiterate that the Duterte administration does not engage in so-called extrajudicial killings. It continues to follow due process and holds itself accountable for its actions,” he said.”©
“Furthermore, Senator Leila de Lima was arrested on charges that is criminal nature– not political. Her arrest strictly followed legal procedures, and given the chance to explain and rebut allegations against her,” he said.
Abella said the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court–which is both independent and competent – then found probable cause, which led to the issuance of a warrant for the incumbent senator’s arrest.
In direct contradiction to Vice President Leni Robredo’s claims on a video, the majority of common people actually feel safer on the streets and more hopeful economically after Duterte came to power, said Abella.
“It is unfortunate that certain powerful interests have gained the capacity to distort Philippine reality in order to gain back and continue with their extractive politics, being threatened by the creative disruption of [President Duterte’s] political actions,” Abella said.
Abella said the drug menace that the Filipino people are fighting is already on the level of “narcopolitics”, meaning illegal drugs trade had seeped into the system from the smallest political unit to the halls of Congress years before the Duterte administration. “©“On the possible loss of zero tariffs, we urge the European Parliament to reconsider its decision as we remind everyone, including international bodies, to allow us to deal with our domestic challenges without unwarranted foreign interference,” he said.
“While some may feel a ‘sovereign obligation’ to step into the affairs of another state, it is vital to recognize that the Philippines is a sovereign state, and that the people welcome the newfound peace and order they now enjoy. Our democracy works,” Abella said.
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said the European Parliament was interfering in domestic affairs.
“They cannot dictate on the Philippine government on what to do with its constituents facing criminal charges nor can they interfere with the judicial processes of our country,” Panelo said.
“Neither can they demand our government the performance an act. That is foreign interference,” Panelo said. “They should mind their own business.”
His call was echoed by Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, who said the European Parliament “should know its place in the world.”
“Parliaments are free to air their sentiments on various issues worth commenting on from their own point of view but they should refrain from [interfering] in internal affairs by commenting on and worse demanding the reversal of certain actions taken by sovereign nations,” he said.
Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III branded the European Parliament resolution a “clear display of arrogance of power and a pure interference” in the country’s domestic affairs.
He said the European Parliament must be told that the Philippines is a democratic nation ruled by law and that its judicial processes are fully functioning.
But De Lima’s party mate, Senator Francis Pangilinan, said the resolution should serve as a reminder to the government that the international community is closely monitoring the country.
Pangilinan also warned that the country’s political situation could hurt its trade relations with the European Union.
”We should be focused on creating an atmosphere conducive to economic growth and job creation but what we have instead is the atmosphere of violence, lawlessness and vigilante killings,” Pangilinan said.
De Lima said she was heartened by the European Parliament resolution, saying it was proof that the rest of the world cares about what is happening in the Philippines today.
“It’s not at all an interference with our country’s internal affairs, but rather an aggregate assertion of the universal values of truth, justice and humanity,” she said.