United States Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts echoed Friday his colleagues’ call for the immediate release of Philippine Senator Leila de Lima, whom he said has been the “target of very troubling partisan persecution.”
READ: Pressure pa more! U.S. Senate panel OKs ban on Pinoy Politicians tagged in De Lima’s imprisonment
In a tweet, the democrat lawmaker said De Lima has been jailed and not given the opportunity to defend herself “in an attempt to intimidate and silence voices critical of the government.”
“The Duterte administration should release her immediately,” he added.
.@SenatorDurbin & @SenatorLeahy are right to push for accountability in the Philippine gov't. America must continue to stand for human rights & good governance. That’s why I was proud to introduce S.Res.142, which calls for the release of @SenLeiladeLima.https://t.co/jhnVBtIFM5— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) October 3, 2019
Markey, along with fellow Democrats Chris Coons and Dick Durbin, and Republicans Marco Rubio and Marsha Blackburn earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 142 which calls for De Lima’s release.
Markey also backed Senators Richard Durbin and Patrick Leahy’s push for accountability in the Philippine government.
READ: 'MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!' Panelo tells US senators backing De Lima, Ressa
It was Durbin and Leahy who proposed to ban from American soil Philippine officials involved in the detention of De Lima. The US Senate Appropriations Committee approved such an amendment to the 2020 State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill, which President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman Salvador Panelo hit as “ignorant.”
De Lima is currently detained at Camp Crame in Quezon City for allegedly aiding the illegal drug trade during her term as a justice secretary in the previous administration. She repeatedly denied the charges, which, she said, are trumped-up and politically motivated. /kga
READ: De Lima calls out Bebot, Abante, Panelo for insulting US senators: Guilty kasi kayo!
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This article first appeared on Philippine Star.
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