PHILIPPINE Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez on Wednesday, November 13, met with two U.S. lawmakers who sought for the release of Senator Leila De Lima to discuss the case of the detained senator.
Romualdez met with Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), two of the five U.S. senators that earlier filed a resolution condemning De Lima’s imprisonment as well as a resolution banning the entry of Philippine government officials involved in De Lima’s detention. The other senators were Marco Rubio (R-FL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Chris Coons (D-DE).
In their resolution, the five senators said De Lima was a “prisoner of conscience, detained solely on account of her political views and the legitimate exercise of her freedom of expression.”
“The Ambassador (Romualdez) said he will continue to engage the senators on these issues and all aspects of PH-U.S. relations,” said the Philippine Embassy in the U.S. in a tweet.
Romualdez also said that the case of news website Rappler and its CEO, Maria Ressa, was also discussed in the meeting.
In September, a U.S. panel approved a bill titled “Prohibition on Entry” for local officials who had something to do in the “wrongful” imprisonment of De Lima.
Malacañang, for its part, was not pleased with the U.S. Senate resolution, and accused Washington of interference on the Philippines’ sovereignty.
“It seeks to place pressure upon our independent institutions, thereby effectively interfering with our nation’s sovereignty,” said presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo.
De Lima, a vocal critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, has been detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial center in Camp Crame since February 2017. (Ritchel Mendiola/AJPress)
I hope that they will not withhold any aid to the government if they do not release her. Quid pro quo. I am sure it is not Trump behind this.sam Cadiente
Very deceitful!! The american senators malign our president. Delima was not jailed because of being a critic of the president but because of involvement in drugs and requiring americans to have visa to enter philippines is the philippines prerogative and no american has the right to disagree to that. We are not under your government, we Filipinos are not slaves of America. We are independent sovereign country… #HANDS OFF AMERICAN
Americans have no rights in telling what is right and wrong… They need to investigate and dont take sides.. Or much better they should stop meddling in other countries internal affair. DONT PLAY GOD!!