Palace not bothered by EU's own 'Magnitsky Act'
Published Dec 28, 2019 12:00 am
By Argyll Cyrus Geducos
Malacañang brushed off, for now, the move of the European Union (EU) to start working on their own version of the Magnitsky Act, a US sanctions framework that targets individuals involved in human rights abuses worldwide.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo (PCOO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
"Ah, 'Working on it.' 'Working on it' pa lang naman (They are still 'working on it' at this time)," Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.
EU's version of the United States' Magnitsky Act would bar the entry of human rights violators and freeze their assets in EU countries.
Panelo said the government will respond accordingly once the EU implements its new measure.
"We will cross the bridge when we reach it. Wala pa eh. Nagtatrabaho lang naman pala, eh (Nothing's sure yet. They are still working on it)," he said.
EU’s new chief diplomat Josep Borrell announced early this month that the EU agreed to launch the preparatory work for a global sanctions regime to address serious human rights violations.
The original Magnitsky Act, signed by then-US President Barack Obama, aimed to penalize Russian individuals accused of human rights violations. This was followed by the US Congress passing the Global Magnitsky Act in 2017 which enabled the US to impose sanctions against Russia for human rights violations worldwide.
Recently, President Donald Trump signed the US 2020 Budget Law which contained the provision allowing the US Secretary of State to deny any Filipino official entry to their territory if the State Secretary had credible information that the Filipino official played a role in the detention of Senator Leila de Lima.
In response to the provision, President Duterte ordered for the Philippines to require Americans to secure a visa first before entering the country should the United States ban any Filipino official from entering their territory by reason De Lima's imprisonment.
The President likewise ordered the Bureau of Immigration to deny US Senators Dick Durbin and Patrick Leahy, the American legislators who introduced the said provision in the US 2020 Budget, entry to the Philippines.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo (PCOO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
"Ah, 'Working on it.' 'Working on it' pa lang naman (They are still 'working on it' at this time)," Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.
EU's version of the United States' Magnitsky Act would bar the entry of human rights violators and freeze their assets in EU countries.
Panelo said the government will respond accordingly once the EU implements its new measure.
"We will cross the bridge when we reach it. Wala pa eh. Nagtatrabaho lang naman pala, eh (Nothing's sure yet. They are still working on it)," he said.
EU’s new chief diplomat Josep Borrell announced early this month that the EU agreed to launch the preparatory work for a global sanctions regime to address serious human rights violations.
The original Magnitsky Act, signed by then-US President Barack Obama, aimed to penalize Russian individuals accused of human rights violations. This was followed by the US Congress passing the Global Magnitsky Act in 2017 which enabled the US to impose sanctions against Russia for human rights violations worldwide.
Recently, President Donald Trump signed the US 2020 Budget Law which contained the provision allowing the US Secretary of State to deny any Filipino official entry to their territory if the State Secretary had credible information that the Filipino official played a role in the detention of Senator Leila de Lima.
In response to the provision, President Duterte ordered for the Philippines to require Americans to secure a visa first before entering the country should the United States ban any Filipino official from entering their territory by reason De Lima's imprisonment.
The President likewise ordered the Bureau of Immigration to deny US Senators Dick Durbin and Patrick Leahy, the American legislators who introduced the said provision in the US 2020 Budget, entry to the Philippines.