MANILA — An Australian senator pulled out a placard that read “stop the human rights abuses,” during President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s address to the Australian Parliament on Thursday.
During Marcos’ speech, Greens senator Janet Rice held up the sign urging the president to end such abuses.
“Under President Marcos Jr, corruption in the Philippines is getting worse. There are hundreds of political prisoners, and ‘anti-terrorism’ laws are used as legal cover for extrajudicial killings,” Rice said in a post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter).
“Yet the Australian Government invited him to address the Parliament today. Shame,” she added.
Rice was escorted out of the House of Representatives as Marcos continued his speech, a report from news.com.au said.
Marcos arrived in Canberra, Australia, on Wednesday for a state visit.
He was expected to sign three agreements on cooperation during the trip and discuss matters of defense and trade with Australian leaders.
The president was also set to return to the country yesterday. (Luisa Cabato © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
