The Makabayan coalition in the House of Representatives on Tuesday condemned what it called as the “brazen interference” by the United States in the domestic affairs of the Philippines.
This came after Monday’s meeting between US Embassy Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, Michael Kelleher and officials of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which is investigating large-scale corruption in government infrastructure projects.
The group took exception to the explanation of the ICI that the US was a “partner with business interests in the Philippines” which Makabayan said smacked of a “mendicant colonial mindset.”
Makabayan president and former legislator Liza Maza said, “ This is an internal affair and the US has no role in influencing and directing the outcome of the investigation. Such meddling is reminiscent of US interventions in the past to shape the outcome of Philippine politics to serve American interests,”
She called on the ICI to disclose the details of the meeting and demanded that the US stop meddling directly or indirectly in the outcome of the current political crisis.
