By Ben Rosario
For interfering in purely internal affairs of the Philippines, US Sen. Dick Durbin has shown to the world that he is suffering from ‘misguided messianic complex”, former speaker and incumbent Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez stated Saturday.
Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (JOHN JEROME GANZON / Manila Bulletin File Photo)
It was Durbin who vigorously pursued a US Senate Committee on Appropriations decision to amend a pending measure by denying entry to the US on Philippine officials behind the detention of Sen. Leila de Lima on alleged trump up charges.
Alvarez minced no words in assailing Durbin, saying that the American legislator could have been thinking that Philippines is still an American colony.
Alvarez said Durbin has no authority to “meddle into internal matters” that the Philippine court system is handling.
“Senator Durbin's brazen move to interfere with the internal affairs of our independent and sovereign nation makes him appear a moron at least, stupid at best,” said Alvarez in a press statement.
The former House leader added: “For him to think and act that way shows his misguided messianic complex.”
According to Alvarez what Durbin has demonstrated is arrogance.
“Rather than dip his hand into our domestic concerns, he should stick to his mandate as a Senator of his country and stay within that jurisdiction.
Let us not forget the awful consequences of U.S. interventionism in other countries throughout history veiled under the guise of simply being a "good Samaritan,” said Alvarez.
Earlier, House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante decried the Committee on Appropriations of the US Senate’s decision to pressure the Philippine government into releasing De Lima.
Abante called on the American lawmakers to drop the US entry prohibition, saying that this is a “slap on the face of Philippine sovereignty.”
“Whatever one’s position on the detention of Sen. de Lima, one cannot countenance what is a blatant attempt to interfere in our legal processes and meddle in our affairs,” said Abante
“This is highly irregular, especially because the trial is ongoing and the judges are still hearing the case. These US senators are essentially telling the judges that if they find Sen. de Lima guilty, they will be barred from entering the United States,” said the Lower House’s top oppositionist.
The progressive Makabayan bloc, whose members are staunch critics of the United States and human rights advocates, did not issue any statement.
American senators belonging to the appropriations committee have approved an amendment to a pending measure that sought to deny entry to the United States of officials of the Duterte government who have contributed in the filing of charges and eventual detention of De Lima, who used to head the Commission on Human Rights in the Philippines.
De Lima was appointed to the CHR by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Later appointed by Arroyo’s political foe and successor, former President Benigno Aquino III, De Lima was instrumental in having the lady president arrested and detained on trumped up charges that the Supreme Court later dismissed.
Arroyo has been placed under “hospital detention” for over four years while De Lima, currently a senator, is now on her second year confinement in a police detention center.
The US senators decision was lauded by Sen. Dick Durbin who has been accusing the Duterte government of having political motives in detaining De Lima.
“How can we expect the judges to be completely impartial in the face of this development? This is an attack on Philippine judicial independence,” said Abante.
De Lima is facing drug charges which have been filed in the sala of Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 205 Judge Leizel Aquiatan and Judge Gener Gito.
“I sincerely hope that other US senators will have the good sense to oppose a move that reeks of disrespect for a nation that has been their ally and friend for over half a century,” the lawmaker added. According to Abante, American lawmakers “should be more circumspect when dealing with matters that fall outside their jurisdiction.”
Abante further stated: “If they believe that Senator de Lima should be set free, then it is their right to express their opinion. But it is another thing altogether to bully another government’s judicial officers into acquiescing to their demands.”