MANILA, Philippines — The United States is “weaponizing human rights” when it approved a law that allowed the denial of entry on Philippine government officials involved in the detention of Senator Leila de Lima.

House Speaker Alan Cayetano made this remark Monday after President Donald Trump signed into law the United States’ 2020 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill that contains a provision banning the entry of those involved in De Lima’s incarceration.

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The provision was an amendment to the budget measure that was introduced by US Senators Richard Durbin and Patrick Leahy in September and eventually adopted at the committee level.

READ: US bans entry of those involved in De Lima detention

Cayetano slammed the measure as something that was “not very well thought of”. He said it would directly interfere with the Philippines’ judicial system.

“This is the best example of weaponizing human rights. Look at the implications of that law, kapag sumunod ang officials natin at pinakawalan [si De Lima] at bibigyan tayo ng visa, babagsak naman ang judicial system natin,” Cayetano said in a press conference.

(This is the best example of weaponizing human rights. Look at the implications of that law. If we give in to that law and we release Senator De Lima just to get US visas, our judicial system will crumble.)

The House leader then invited US legislators to visit the Philippines to see for themselves the human rights situation in the country. He asserted that the Philippines has a sound judicial system.

“Kaunti ang impormasyon nila so ang akala nila hindi magaling at hindi matindi ang fairness ng judicial system natin. Siguro the best thing to do, rather than retaliate and say na hindi rin tayo magbibigay ng visa sa kanila, imbitahin pa natin ‘yung US congressmen and women and US senators to visit the Philippines,” Cayetano said.

(They have very little information that’s why they assume that our judicial system is not excellent and fair. Maybe the best thing to do, rather than retaliate and say that we would also deny them entry here, we should invite US legislators to visit the Philippines.)

“We hope that you will come over to the Philippines, you will observe by yourself, not only through news reports what is really happening in the country and you’ll probably see, in fact, I would daresay that our democracy is a little bit more vibrant than their democracy at this point in time,” he added.

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Under the bill, the US Secretary of State – currently Atty. Mike Pompeo – was tasked to deny entry on foreign government officials about whom he “has credible information have been involved in the wrongful imprisonment of” De Lima “who was arrested in the Philippines in 2017.”

De Lima earlier released an initial list of personalities whom she recalled have contributed to her arrest and detention. The list includes President Rodrigo Duterte, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, former Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Sec. Mocha Uson, former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, congressmen Rey Umali and Rudy Fariñas, and former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.

It also includes Solicitor General Jose Calida, Public Attorneys Office chief Persida Acosta, EU-based pro-Duterte blogger Sass Rogando Sasot, pro-Duterte blogger RJ Nieto, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office board member Sandra Cam, and Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission chair Dante Jimenez.

Edited by KGA

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