Sotto: 'What if we ban US execs involved in Trump impeachment?'

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Saturday lashed back at American senators after a US Senate panel had sought to prohibit entry of Philippine government officials involved in the imprisonment of Senator Leila de Lima.

In retort, Sotto said what if Philippine lawmakers do the same as their US counterparts and seek to ban American officials involved in US President Donald Trump's impeachment probe.

Early this week, the Democrats-controlled US House of Representatives announced it will launch a formal inquiry into whether Trump should be impeached and examined if the US President sought Ukraine's help to smear former Vice President Joe Biden, the front-runner for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

"Ano kaya ang pakiramdam ng senador na 'yon kung merong mag-file ng resolution dito na sabihin na 'wag papasukin sa Pilipinas lahat ng magi-impeach kay Trump?" Sotto said at the weekly news forum at Annabel's restaurant in Quezon City.

Photo by Ted Cordero

"Pakialamero eh," he said.

A US Senate committee has approved an amendment in one of the bills it is tackling to prohibit the entry of any Philippine government official involved in what it called "politically-motivated imprisonment" of Senator De Lima.

In a Twitter post, US Senator Dick Durbin lauded the appropriations committee for passing the amendment he introduced together with Senator Patrick Leahy.

"I'm not saying that I am for or against Senator de Lima but as I've said she is innocent until proven guilty. But you cannot have a US senator judge the case. Ang layo ah, baka akala niya commonwealth pa tayo," Sotto said.

The Senate president said US lawmakers may have been fed with wrong information for making the resolution.

De Lima has been detained since February 2017 at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame over the alleged proliferation of illegal drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison during her term as Justice Secretary.

She has repeatedly denied the allegations, saying charges against her are trumped-up.

De Lima is a fierce opponent of the "bloody" war on drugs of President Rodrigo Duterte, whom she has accused of being vindictive and intolerant to criticism of his policies. —LBG, GMA News