3 PH senators hit US lawmakers for ‘affront to sovereignty’ over de Lima, Ressa resolutions
Credit to Author: BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO| Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2019 04:13:10 +0000
SENATE President Vicente Sotto 3rd and two other colleagues filed a resolution condemning several US lawmakers for allegedly “interfering in the Philippine judicial system,” which they described as an “affront to our sovereignty.”
Sotto, Senators Gregorio Honasan 2nd and Panfilo Lacson filed Senate Resolution (SR) 1037, which branded as “inappropriate and unbefitting” Resolution 233 and 142 from the US House of Representatives and Senate respectively.
This is “considering that the Philippines is no longer a vassal or a colony of the United States of America but a sovereign state and a member of the family of nations governed by its own municipal laws and the generally accepted principles of international law,” the three Filipino senators said.
Both US Congress resolutions condemned the Philippine government for its continued detention of Sen. Leila de Lima, and called for her immediate release.
US Senate Resolution 142 also called for the dropping of charges against Rappler chief operating officer Maria Ressa.
Lacson turned to Twitter to stress his point. “Don’t interfere with our judicial system. We’re not your vassal. Ours is a sovereign state, equal in stature to that of the USA.”
Lacson clarified, however, that de Lima and Maria Ressa were “incidental” to the intent of SR 1037.
“Sen. de Lima and Ms. Ressa are but incidental to the intent of this resolution. They are entitled to fair justice and judgment by the courts handling their cases. But what we need to point out is that supremacism has no place in a civilized world regardless of race, color and status in wealth and power.” Lacson said.
US House Resolution 233, filed on March 14, was authored by Representatives Karen Lorraine Jacqueline Speier, James Patrick McGovern, Hank Calvin Johnson, Jr., Jamin Ben Raskin of Maryland, Bradley James Sherman, and Lloyd Alton Dogget 2nd.
US Senate Resolution 142, filed on April 4, was signed by Edward John Markey, Marco Rubio, Richard Durbin of Illinois, Marsha Blackburn, and Christopher Andres Coons.
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