Mariing pinalagan ng Malacañang ang pag-apruba ng US Senate Appropriations Committee sa amendment sa isang pending bill na naglalayong pagbawalang makapasok ng Estados Unidos ang mga opisyal ng Pilipinas na sangkot sa pagpapakulong kay Sen. Leila de Lima.
Sinabi ni Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, ang hakbang na ito ay isang lantarang panghihimasok sa domestic legal process ng bansa lalo ang kasong dahilan ng pagkakakulong kay Sen. De Lima ay kasalukuyang dinidinig ng korte.
Ayon kay Sec. Panelo, layunin nitong ma-pressure ang mga independent institutions kaya malinaw itong pakikialam sa soberenya ng Pilipinas.
Maituturing daw itong insulto sa competence at kakayahan ng mga otoridad dahil pinalalabas ng US Senate panel na may moinopolyo sila sa kung ano ang tama at makatarungan.
Tinatrato umano ang ating bansa bilang inferior state na hindi kuwalipikadong pangasiwaan ang sariling internal affairs.
Kahit sinong Pilipino daw, kakampi o kritiko man ng administrasyon ay dapat magalit at mabastusan sa nakakainsulto at “offensive” na hakbang ng US Senate panel.
“The Palace considers such undertaking as a brazen attempt to intrude into our country’s domestic legal processes given that the subject cases against the detained senator are presently being heard by our local courts,” ani Sec. Panelo.
“It seeks to place pressure upon our independent institutions thereby effectively interfering with our nation’s sovereignty. It is an insult to the competence and capacity of our duly constituted authorities as such act makes it appear that this US Senate panel has the monopoly of what is right and just. It is an outright disrespect to our people’s clamor for law and order. It treats our country as an inferior state unqualified to run its own affairs. All sensible Filipinos, regardless of their political or social association, should feel affronted and disrespected by this insulting and offensive act.”
