US labels the AFP as Human Rights Abusers

Screenshot of the Article where the US called the AFP as Human Rights Abusers

I just find it absolutely hilarious that the Americans, who were just letting our Filipino Soldiers touch, caress and smell their very expensive American made Weapons during the recent Balikatan Exercises, are now accusing those same Soldiers as Human Rights Abusers. 

This is based on the “2021 Country Report on Human Rights Practices” Report by the United States (US) State Department that was released recently. The Report says that, “… there were credible reports that members of the Security Forces committed numerous abuses …” 

Dick Durbin reiterates his support for Sen. De Lima

Dick Durbin's Tweet of support for De Lima

United States (US) Senator Dick Durbin, one of President Rodrigo Duterte’s most vocal Critics in the US who is currently banned in the Philippines and is now the Majority Whip in the US Senate, recently retweeted Senator Leila De Lima’s Tweet congratulating him and said that he continues to support her fight for “Human Rights” in the Philippines

SOURCE: Official Dick Durbin Account Tweet, 01/20/21 - 2341H {Archived Link}

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US Law bans entry to Philippine Officials who imprisoned Maria Ressa

Section 7031 of the 2021 US Spending Law

Our “Ally” the United States (US) has just passed into Law their 2021 Spending Bill which contains a Provision that bans Philippine Government Officials involved in the imprisonment of Maria Ressa from entering their Country. 

The Section 7031 - Specific Cases Portion of the Law says that, “The Secretary shall apply subsection (c) to foreign government officials involved in threatening, wrongfully imprisoning, or otherwise depriving of liberty independent journalists who speak out or publish about official corruption or other abuses, including Maria Luisa Ressa in the Philippines and El Faro in El Salvador”.

U.S. Congress creates Bill to suspend assistance to Military and Police Forces in the Philippines

U.S. Congress Bill the Philippine Human Rights Act HR 8313

And here comes our supposed “Ally” again. A Bill was filed in the United States (US) Congress recently called the “Philippine Human Rights Act HR 8313” which is seeking to block all Equipment and Training assistance to the Philippine Military and Police until CONDITIONS are met. 

The “Conditions” are: 

- Military and Police Members need to be investigated and prosecuted for Human Rights Violations;

Philippines bans Third US Democratic Senator

United States (US) Democratic Senator Ed Markey is being banned from entering the Philippines for sponsoring US Senate Resolution number 142 which condemned the incarceration of Philippine Senator Leila De Lima and called for her immediate release.

Note that the Resolution is sponsored by 11 Senators, three of which including Markey have already banned entry into the Philippines. It is possible that the remaining eight other US Senators will face similar bans also.

SOURCE: Duterte bans another US Senator from entering PH {Archived Link}

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US Senator blasts Duterte Admin for threatening new Visa Rules for Americans

After United States (US) Senator Patrick Leahy, it is now Senator Dick Durbin’s turn to attack the Duterte Administration, saying pretty much the same things as what Leahy said.

Remember that Durbin along with Leahy sponsored a Provision in the US’ 2020 Budget sanctioning the Jailers of Senator Leila De Lima, which is why in turn both of them are being banned from entering the Philippines.

The US has not yet released the list of individuals in the Philippines that will be sanctioned, but once it is released, expect more tensions to come out between the Philippines and US.

US Sen. Leahy says the Philippines should instead Free De Lima or give her a Public Trial instead of sanctioning US Citizens

The United States’ (US) Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy said that the Philippine Government should either release Senator Leila De Lima from Prison, or give her a fair, Public Trial instead of threatening Visa restrictions to US Citizens visiting the Philippines.

Note that Leahy is being banned from entering the Philippines for sponsoring a Provision in the US’ 2020 Budget sanctioning Philippine officials for jailing De Lima.

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For me, the thing to remember here is that De Lima is not even a US Citizen, she is a Philippine Citizen, hence the US has no right to interfere with our internal affairs. If De Lima was a US Citizen, then the US has the right to protest, but she is not.

Philippines threatens to retaliate if US sanctions De Lima’s Jailers

Tensions are rising. First off, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo says that United States (US) Senators Dick Durbin and Patrick Leahy has been officially banned from entering the Philippines.

The two Senators were the ones who introduced a provision in the US Budget banning the entry to the US of Filipino officials responsible for Sen. Leila de Lima's arrest and detention.

Second, Panelo also said that if the US will indeed sanction De Lima's Filipino Jailers, the Philippines will retaliate by requiring all Tourists with US Passports traveling to the Philippines to acquire Visas before arrival. 

SOURCE: Duterte orders entry ban on 2 US Senators, threatens to require US Travelers to secure PHL Visa —Palace

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Trump signs US Budget which includes a Provision to sanction De Lima’s Jailers

United States (US) President Donald Trump has just signed his country’s budget which includes an amendment authorizing the US secretary of state to bar those behind Sen. Leila de Lima’s detention from entering the US.

The amendment also includes the freezing of assets in the US of those individuals. I expect the US Government to start naming names of those they deem responsible for De Lima’s jailing and imposing sanctions on them soon.

It’s hard to know how President Rodrigo Duterte will react to this as he and his supporters and government officials will be affected by the sanctions. I doubt he’ll be happy with it, but worst case is if his Word War with the US escalates.

SOURCE: Trump signs law banning De Lima Jailers from entering US {Archived Link}

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U.S. Senator to Panelo: “Our Aid is not a Blank Check”

Democratic United States (US) Senator Patrick Leahy told Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, "Our aid is not a blank check, and when Philippine officials abuse the justice system for the purpose of political retribution, we have a responsibility to respond."

Leahy is asking for the release of Senator Leila De Lima from Prison, and is one of the Senators who inserted a clause in a Bill to deny entry of any Philippine government official involved in De Lima's imprisonment.

So does the 300 Joint Exercises the U.S. Military has with our armed forces in 2020 have strings attached to it also? This from an ally who refuses to recognize the Philippines’ claims in the South China Sea (SCS) up to now, and who abandoned the PNoy Administration against the Chinese back in 2012?

SOURCE: US Senator to Panelo: We respond against Philippine Officials who abuse Justice System

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U.S. Senate Bill seeks to ban entry to the U.S. of Philippine Government Official involved in the Imprisonment of De Lima

A Bill has been filed and approved for deliberation in the U.S. Senate to ban entry to the U.S. of any government official involved in the imprisonment of Senator Leila De Lima.

This is certainly aimed not just at the Duterte government but President Rodrigo Duterte himself since there is a standing invitation by Donald Trump for him to visit the U.S.

Now the Bill still has a long way to go before it passes into law, but the fact that it has been filed shows that Duterte has strong opponents in the U.S. Senate, and if nothing else it shows that they will continue to hound him on the issue of De Lima should he continue with his visit to the U.S.

U.S. Senator Rubio again hounds the Duterte Administration, this time on the issue of De Lima

United States (US) Republican Senator Marco Rubio has called on the Duterte Administration for the unconditional release of Senator Leila de Lima from Jail. The big question here is what will he do if his request is not met?

Rubio is one of the Senators who filed a Bill to block the sale of 27,000 Assault Rifles (AR) from the U.S. back in 2017 due to Human Rights (HR) concerns, and of course the transaction was cancelled after that.

And now he is coming up with a demand. I think that the U.S. shouldn’t be out insisting on controlling how we run our government. After all, as supposed “allies” they did go out and abandon us against China in Panatag Shoal back in 2012.

SOURCE: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/22/19/us-senator-calls-for-de-limas-release

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