MANILA – There was indeed a provision in the United States’ 2020 national budget banning the entry of Philippine officials who were involved in the detention of Sen. Leila De Lima.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a radio interview the existence of the provision was validated by Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez.
“When I was talking to (Philippine Ambassador to US) Babes Romualdez, sabi niya, tsinek daw nila ‘yung batas, meron nga daw. Totoo ‘yung ban,” Panelo said Sunday.
Pro-administration blogger RJ Nieto earlier dismissed the ban as fake news because the words, “De Lima,” “wrongful,” and “imprisonment,” were nowhere to be found in the spending bill signed by US President Donald Trump.
De Lima, however, explained the controversial provision is in the explanatory report, which is supposedly included in the final explanatory statement that forms part of the appropriations bill.
“Interpreting US appropriations Law requires more due diligence than just looking at one document and, thereafter, promptly concluding that it does not contain the provision banning my persecutors from entry into the US,” De Lima said.
De Lima added that the operations of the US Federal Government are “very broad and complex” and that preparing for its budget “will be more complicated” than what is done in the Philippines.
US President Donald Trump has signed into law the 2020 national budget, which includes the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Bill 2020 where a clause banning Philippine officials who detained De Lima is included.
US Democrat Senators Dick Durbin and Patrick Leahy were behind the inclusion of the provision on banning De Lima’s jailers in the US government’s spending package.
De Lima has been detained since February 2017 at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City over allegations that she let the illegal drug trade to proliferate inside the New Bilibid Prison. She has repeatedly denied the charges./PN
