"Where were Durbin and Leahy when former President Arroyo’s rights were being violated?"
We may have fought side by side with them during World War II, some of us may still look at them as the promise of redemption especially when we are hard-hit by local politics, but not, we were never brothers. We have always been at the receiving end of their bullying tactics.
And it’s just right to hit ‘em back.
After the US Senate arrogantly voted to bar local officials allegedly involved in “jailing” Senator Leila de Lima from entering the United States, President Rodrigo Duterte struck back by barring two US senators, Patrick Leahy and Dick Durbin—who spearheaded the said provision in the 2020 US Budget which was signed by President Donald Trump—from entering the Philippines.
According to Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, President Duterte is immediately ordering the Bureau of Immigration to deny Durbin and Leahy, “the imperious, uninformed and gullible American legislators who introduced the subject provision in the US 2020 Budget, entry to the Philippines.”
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the ban on the two US lawmakers is effective immediately.
Duterte has also threatened the US the Philippines would impose a visa requirement for Americans planning to visit the country should the US push through with the ban on Filipino officials over De Lima's case.
Of course, the US could always insists, as we could, too, that it is their right to decide whom to allow and whom to bar from entering their country. But the problem is that their decision to bar the “officials involved in the De Lima case” is a clear intervention in our internal affairs.
While the proponent senators claim De Lima has been wrongfully incarcerated and that hers is a case of her human rights violation, that is the farthest from truth.
De Lima is being charged for her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade. And even her lover cum bodyguard—yes, with whom she shares her most intimate secrets—has testified receiving money on her behalf and directly delivering them to her.
De Lima spending time in jail demonstrates how our present judicial system works unlike during, ironically, De Lima’s own stint as Justice Secretary.
Where were Durbin and Leahy when De Lima prevented former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from leaving the country to seek medical treatment abroad even in the absence of a hold-departure order issued by the proper court?
And De Lima “corrected” her act by committing another injustice against Arroyo when they railroaded the filing of a non-bailable case against the former president in less than 24 hours after illegally barring her from leaving the country.
Weren’t these acts clear violation of Arroyo’s human rights?
Where were Durbin and Leahy during those times?
Given their biased positions on the two cases—that of Arroyo and De Lima—we could clearly see their acts have nothing to do with their so-called promotion of human rights but more on reasserting their imposition on us, bullying us to submission as they have done ever since.
It’s time we learned to strike back.
* * *
Congratulations are in order for the Department of Tourism and for Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat for having breached the eight millionth mark for tourist arrivals, days to go before the end of 2019.
The lucky visitor was Yachiyo Imamoto who arrived from Yokohama, Japan at 1:33 in the afternoon with her husband Tamio last Dec. 27 via All Nippon Airways Flight NH 869. She was personally welcomed by Assistant Secretary for Tourism Development Roberto Alabado III.
Not a stranger to the Philippines, the 71-year-old beauty product dealer already went to the country for eight times to visit her foster family whom they host in exchange in Japan.
"We are truly thankful to be chosen for this event. This our eighth visit here and we always visit our close friends in the Philippines," shared Yachiyo.
The couple, who are also certified beach lovers, have already been to popular tourist destinations like Cebu and Palawan and will tour in Baler this time around.
"The Filipinos are very hospitable. I also keep coming back for mangoes, masarap," echoed husband Tamio.
Congratulations again, Secretary Romulo-Puyat and to the rest of the DoT.
