Arroyo to recommend PH withdrawal from IPU over its 'interference'
By Roel Tibay
Published Oct 22, 2018 08:07 pm
By Ben Rosario
Former president and current House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday said she will recommend the Philippines Congress withdrawal of membership to the Geneva-based Inter-Parliamentary Union for interfering with political affairs of the country.
Interviewed as she headed a medical mission in Barangay Escopa, Quezon City, Arroyo said the recent IPU decision to look into the alleged persecution of opposition Senators Leila de Lima and Antonio Trillanes IV is the second time the international organization intervened in the way Philippines is dispensing justice.
Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the opening of the Third Regular Session of Congress on Monday. (Jansen Romero/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Arroyo headed the Philippine delegation of congressmen and senators to the IPU’s 139th Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. The Philippine delegation included Senator Franklin Drilon, a political ally of both De Lima and Trillanes.
“Well, you know the last time there was an IPU and then Senate President Koko Pimentel was head of delegation and he decried the interference of the IPU in our judicial processes,” the House leader said.
“This time, over the objection of the Philippine delegation, again they did the same thing. so since this is the second time they did it, to my knowledge, I am recommending to the Senate which heads the delegation that we should withdraw our membership with the IPU,” Arroyo stated.
During the recent assembly, IPU voted to send an official mission to the Philippines to look into allegations that De Lima and Trillanes are being persecuted by the Duterte administration.
The resolution was passed over objections of the Arroyo-led delegation who had received support from China, Myanmar and Cambodia.
In the resolution, the IPU said the organization “wishes to receive detailed information from the relevant authorities on the factual and legal grounds justifying Proclamation No. 572 (and) decides a trial observer to closely monitor legal proceedings with regard to their compliance with international fair trial guarantees.”
In another resolution passed during the recent assembly, the organization stated that it “remains disturbed at the public campaign of vilification by the highest state authorities (against De Lima).”
Last year, majority of the 178 member nations of IPU reached a consensus to look into the case of De Lima, a fierce critic of the Duterte government, who is currently detained on charges that she received bribe from convicted drug personalities.
The IPU said must there is an urgent need for a “follow-up visit” to the Philippines to investigate the case of De Lima.
The IPU “remains disturbed at the public campaign of vilification by the highest state authorities” against De Lima, who has been portrayed as an “immoral woman” and as “guilty”, the resolution said.
In the other resolution, the IPU agreed that the “sudden” questioning of Trillanes' amnesty supports allegations that there is an attempt to silence him against being critical against the Duterte government.
Trillanes is in danger of being detained again after President Duterte issued Proclamation 572 withdrawing the amnesty granted on the senator in connection with rebellion charges for leading the Oakwood mutiny in 2003 and the Manila Peninsula siege in 2007.
Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the opening of the Third Regular Session of Congress on Monday. (Jansen Romero/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Arroyo headed the Philippine delegation of congressmen and senators to the IPU’s 139th Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. The Philippine delegation included Senator Franklin Drilon, a political ally of both De Lima and Trillanes.
“Well, you know the last time there was an IPU and then Senate President Koko Pimentel was head of delegation and he decried the interference of the IPU in our judicial processes,” the House leader said.
“This time, over the objection of the Philippine delegation, again they did the same thing. so since this is the second time they did it, to my knowledge, I am recommending to the Senate which heads the delegation that we should withdraw our membership with the IPU,” Arroyo stated.
During the recent assembly, IPU voted to send an official mission to the Philippines to look into allegations that De Lima and Trillanes are being persecuted by the Duterte administration.
The resolution was passed over objections of the Arroyo-led delegation who had received support from China, Myanmar and Cambodia.
In the resolution, the IPU said the organization “wishes to receive detailed information from the relevant authorities on the factual and legal grounds justifying Proclamation No. 572 (and) decides a trial observer to closely monitor legal proceedings with regard to their compliance with international fair trial guarantees.”
In another resolution passed during the recent assembly, the organization stated that it “remains disturbed at the public campaign of vilification by the highest state authorities (against De Lima).”
Last year, majority of the 178 member nations of IPU reached a consensus to look into the case of De Lima, a fierce critic of the Duterte government, who is currently detained on charges that she received bribe from convicted drug personalities.
The IPU said must there is an urgent need for a “follow-up visit” to the Philippines to investigate the case of De Lima.
The IPU “remains disturbed at the public campaign of vilification by the highest state authorities” against De Lima, who has been portrayed as an “immoral woman” and as “guilty”, the resolution said.
In the other resolution, the IPU agreed that the “sudden” questioning of Trillanes' amnesty supports allegations that there is an attempt to silence him against being critical against the Duterte government.
Trillanes is in danger of being detained again after President Duterte issued Proclamation 572 withdrawing the amnesty granted on the senator in connection with rebellion charges for leading the Oakwood mutiny in 2003 and the Manila Peninsula siege in 2007.