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Malacañang is confident that the US government will reject a bill introduced in the US House of Representatives that will withhold funds for Philippine security forces until the government ends human rights violations.
In sponsoring and introducing the Philippine Human Rights Act on September 17, Pennsylvania Representative Susan Wild cited the “brutal regime of the Duterte administration using the pretext of the so-called anti-terrorism law to intensify efforts targeting labor organizers, workers and political opponents “. . “
In a virtual press conference Thursday, Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the Philippines would not interfere in US legislative affairs, though he described the proposed measure as a “very outlandish suggestion.”
“We do not interfere with sovereign countries. If they want to do so, they do. But we feel comfortable, I think the United States recognizes the value of the Philippines as its partner when it comes to national security matters of the United States itself.” (We do not interfere with nations If they want to, then they should. But we are not concerned. I think the United States recognizes the value of the Philippines as its partner when it comes to matters of its own national security), said Roque.
He mentioned the “close ties” between President Rodrigo Duterte and the President of the United States, Donald Trump.
Roque said Wild’s measure still has a long way to go and must be approved by the United States Senate.
The bill seeks to block US funding for security assistance to the Philippines until human rights conditions are met.
Wild condemned the passage of the Philippine Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, which he saw as an attack on activists and political dissidents.
Senator Panfilo Lacson had said that if passed, the measure would be a loss not only for the Philippines but also for the United States, considering that “a significant part of the security assistance that is being extended to the Philippines is used to combat terrorism.” .
Lacson, chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense, said US lawmakers may also have to consider the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between Manila and Washington when deliberating on the bill.
The VFA, which was ratified by the Philippine Senate in 1999, governs the conduct of US troops participating in military exercises in the Philippines.
In February, the Philippines withdrew from the military agreement, but in June it suspended the repeal of the agreement for six months.
Wild, a Democrat, authored the proposed Philippine Human Rights Act, which was endorsed by 23 other Democrats in the House.
In his sponsorship speech on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila), Wild listed five criteria that the Duterte government must meet in order to resume funding.
The criteria, according to the Communication Workers of America website, are:
– Investigation and prosecution of members of the armed forces and police who are considered credible as human rights violators.
– The withdrawal of the military from domestic politics.
– The protection of the rights of trade unionists, journalists, human rights defenders, indigenous people, small farmers, LGBT activists and critics of the government.
– A guarantee that the judicial system is capable of investigating, prosecuting and bringing to justice the police and military forces that have committed human rights abuses.
– Full compliance with each and every one of the audits or investigations related to the misuse of security aids.
Wild said she was proud to work with various U.S.-based movements that stood alongside civil society organizations, including the Communication Workers of America, the U.S. labor movement, Teamsters Union, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of the Industrial Organization, and the International Union of Service Employees.
“They understand that by fighting for their brothers and sisters in the labor movement abroad, they are also helping to safeguard their own rights and dignity here at home,” he said.
“Let us make it clear that the United States will not participate in the repression. Let’s support the people of the Philippines, ”Wild said.
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