US Senate panel OKs reso calling for De Lima's release

The United States Senate foreign relations committee has approved a resolution condemning the Philippine government for the continued detention of Senator Leila de Lima and calling for the dropping of charges against her and her immediate release.

US Senate Resolution 142, filed in April 2019, also condemned the arrest and detention of human rights defenders and political leaders and harassment, arrest, unjust judicial proceedings against media and journalists, particularly Rappler and Maria Ressa.

It further condemned the Philippine government for its alleged role in state-sanctioned extrajudicial killings by police and other armed individuals as part of its anti-drug campaign.

The resolution considers De Lima to be a prisoner of conscience as she is “detained solely on account of her political views and the legitimate exercise of her freedom of expression.”

It called on US President Donald Trump to impose sanctions pursuant to Global  Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act such as revocation of US visas and freezing of assets against Philippine officials and security forces allegedly responsible for extrajudicial killings and orchestrating the arrest and prolonged detention of De Lima.

If further urged Trump to ensure that US security assistance provided to the Philippine National Police is fully consistent with the human rights conditions mandated in the Arms Export Control Act and Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

It said the Philippine government should recognize the importance of human rights defenders and their work and allow them to operate freely without fear of reprisal and guarantee the right to the freedom of the press, and to drop all the charges against Maria Ressa and Rappler.

In his Twitter post, Senator Ed Markey, who filed the resolution, said the passage of the measure “demonstrates broad support for accountability in her case and with others.”

For over 1,000 days now, @SenLeiladeLima has languished in prison. Her crime: standing for human rights and good governance in the Philippines. Today’s passage of my resolution out of @SenateForeign demonstrates broad support for accountability in her case and with others. https://t.co/qi4LrQDdfs

— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) December 11, 2019

Senator Dick Durbin said he was glad the committee passed the resolution that he sponsored to end the detention of De Lima and harassment of Ressa.

Glad to see Senate Foreign Relations Committee pass @SenMarkey's resolution, that I proudly cosponsored, calling on the government of the Philippines to end the troubling detention of Filipina Senator Leila de Lima and harassment of @rapplerdotcom journalist Maria Ressa.

— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) December 11, 2019

De Lima, in a handwritten note from her detention cell, thanked the US panel for the resolution.

"I've always believed that standing strong for one's convictions and fighting always for what is true and just, for human rights and humanity have many friends around the globe. Thank you US Senate Foreign Relations Committee for S. Res. 142," she said. —KBK, GMA News