"President Duterte has sent a clear message."
Rarely can one find a Filipino who hates Americans. In fact, many of us love and emulate them, and speak their language, overwhelmingly influenced by the 38 years of American occupation that overshadowed 333 years of Spanish colonization.
But it's a totally a different matter when US politicians impose on us, meddling in our internal affairs.
United States democratic Senators Patrick Leahy and Richard Durbin could not believe they have totally made a joke of themselves by coming to the country, expecting a rousing welcome and VIP treatment.
They easily would have been the eight-millionth and eight-million-and-first “tourists” welcomed and donned with colorful leis by Department of Tourism officials, along with over 1.5-million Chinese who have come to work in the country this year.
Unfortunately for Leary and Durbin, no cheering squad accompanied the welcome party of the Bureau of Immigration who met them at airport. US citizens are normally allowed an initial 30-day temporary stay in the country.
They made history when Immigration authorities on orders of President Rodrigo Duterte denied Leahy and Durbin admission to the country, literally tagging them “undesirable aliens” as well as threats to national security. They may have to secure a tourist visa next time they plan to visit here.
A third US senator, Edward Markey of Massachusetts, has been barred to enter the Philippines for the same reason.
The three Democrats were among several US lawmakers who pushed for a provision in the approved 2020 US national budget imposing sanctions to Filipino individuals responsible for what they consider “politically motivated” incarceration of Senator Leila de Lima.
Majority of the Filipinos believe allowing them to barge into the country would have made everyone look like wimps in the face of this glaring US intrusion in the country’s internal affairs, particularly the judicial process in De Lima's multiple drug cases.
It appears Leahy and Durbin came on too strong because in their minds was a picture of the “indios” of the Spanish and American colonial eras, who would bow to the American superiority. Sadly, quite a number share their delusion at the US Capitol.
If they had been admitted with open arms and accorded the usual Filipino hospitality, next thing you know they would have staged a black propaganda blitz with hosts Yellow media and desperate critics of the President, according to President Duterte’s allies in both houses of Congress.
Similarly, Senate President Tito Sotto and Senator Ping Lacson have condemned the US senators' lawyering for the former Justice secretary. During her term, persecution and massacre victims cried for justice to no avail.
Leahy was quoted as saying they have come to support the Filipinos' freedom of expression, implying that De Lima was jailed for emphatically criticizing Duterte and his administration for “human rights violations.” There is nothing more contrived than such statement.
Well, Duterte sent a clear message to everyone around the world: “ You are not welcome in the country if you pry in our internal business.”
