Int’l legislators won’t be allowed to meddle with legal processes – Palace

A group of international lawmakers planning to look into the alleged political persecution of two opposition senators is not welcome to visit the country, Malacañang said Monday.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo expressed concern that the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) might only cause trouble in the country, as he criticized the group for meddling in the country’s affairs as well as disrespecting the local legal processes.

The group earlier announced plans to send an official mission to look into the alleged rights violations committed against De Lima and Trillanes.

“Ang problema diyan sa Interparliamentary, sabi nila, mag-iimbestiga sila. Pero mayroon na silang conclusion eh, na para daw inaapi, parang biktima ng injustice. Bakit mayroon ka na kaagad na conclusion, hindi ka pa nag-iimbestiga (The problem with the Inter-Parliamentary is they said they will investigate but they already have a conclusion that they were being persecuted like victims of injustice. Why do you have a conclusion when you haven’t investigated yet?),” Panelo said in a radio interview.

“Kung pupunta sila — pero ang problema nga, nagbigay na sila ng conclusion. I don’t think they’re welcome here, manggugulo lang sila (If they will visit, but the problem is they have given their conclusion, I don’t think they’re welcome here. They will just cause trouble),” he said.

The IPU recently issued separate resolutions expressing deep concern on the alleged persecution of De Lima, currently detained on drug charges, and Trillanes, who faces rebellion charges.

The group has decided to conduct a follow-up visit to De Lima amid the alleged “public campaign of vilification by the highest state authorities” against her.

The IPU likewise showed concern on the revival of rebellion charges against Trillanes. It was reportedly worried that “sudden questioning” of Trillanes’ amnesty would boost allegation “that this is a targeted attempt to silence” him.

In a later statement, Panelo told the IPU that the country do well on its own without the interference of “strangers.”

“The wheels of justice have started to grind, and the two lawmakers have been accorded due process and would continue to be given their respective days in court,” he said.

“Having said this, our State does not need guidance or directives from strangers. We can do well on our own,” he added.

He also called on the IPU to refrain from commenting further on cases of De Lima and Trillanes, saying “these are veiled attempts to influence the outcome of the cases, which are now pending before our local courts.”

“We find it unfortunate that another prying organization has once again cast aspersion on the integrity of the legal processes of our country,” Panelo said.

“In any case, we assure the IPU or any global organization that our justice system in the Philippines remains independent, effective, and functioning,” he added.

Panelo has dismissed the IPU reso- lutions on the cases of De Lima and Trillanes as “an affront to the core of our State’s principles.”

“We consider such actions as interventions of our domestic affairs for they do not only show the Philippines in a bad light in front of the global community but worse, such one-sided evaluations infringe on our sovereignty,” he said.

He also said the IPU does “not respect” the ongoing proceedings conducted by the courts following its “incredible” conclusion about the cases of the two senators. “Unsurprisingly, it reached such conclusion even without hearing the side of the Philippine Government,” he added.

Panelo likewise raised doubts about the IPU’s competency, integrity and invulnerability to political pressures.

“This organization declares how it values adherence to the rule of law and due process but its actions speak otherwise,” he said. “The act of publishing its findings even before conducting its intended probe already exposes how biased this organization is,” he added.

Panelo reminded the IPU that the arrest of De Lima stemmed from a warrant issued by the court that found probable cause that she may have committed the crime.

With De Lima’s trial ongoing, he said it could not be said that she has been denied fundamental rights “because she even faces the same with counsels of her choice.”

“She even remains vocal up to this day thereby disclosing that her freedom to express whatever she feels remains unhampered,” he added.