Jeffrey Celiz to seek asylum over alleged harassment

NEW YORK — Sonshine Media Network International host Jeffrey Celiz has confirmed that he left the Philippines due to alleged harassment directed at him and his family.

Now in the United States, Celiz said he is avoiding possible arrest warrants that he claims are part of a broader campaign of political persecution against supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte is currently detained at the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.

“The purpose is to really take myself away mula doon sa abusadong ilalabas na, at inilabas na yata, na arrest order ng House of Representatives," Celiz said in an interview with GMA Integrated News in New York.

(The purpose is to distance myself from the abusive arrest order being issued—or possibly already issued—by the House of Representatives.)

"I believe wala po yan sa karapatan nila na pakialaman ang mga fundamental na constitutional guarantee sa karapatan sa malayang pamamahayag, malayang pagsasalita. At kung may reklamo sila sa aming pananalita at pahayag they can file cases but not weaponize Congress as a tool for persecution," he added.

(I believe they have no right to interfere with the constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression and the press. If they have grievances with what we say, they can file cases—but they should not weaponize Congress as a tool for persecution.)

Citing safety concerns for himself and his family, Celiz revealed plans to seek political asylum in Canada.

“That is an option open for me and under the international convention on the protection of civil and political rights. Ang mga persucuted na mga tao sa isang bansa ng kanilang gubyerno at pwedeng mag avail niyan," he said.

(That’s an option available to me under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Persecuted individuals have the right to seek protection from other countries.)

"Mataas po ang threat level laban sa akin at sa mga kagaya ko and I do not see further beyond the wall na may aatrasan pa ako sa Pilipinas."

(There is a high threat level against me and others like me. I don’t see any safe place left for me in the Philippines.}

Celiz is among several individuals charged in an inciting to sedition case filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

The complaint, which includes Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, Kingdom of Jesus Christ lawyer Atty. Israelito Torreon, and former NTF-ELCAC spokesperson Lorraine Badoy, has been submitted for resolution to the Department of Justice.

The charges stem from their alleged calls to resist government actions during Quiboloy’s attempted arrest in Davao City on August 25 and 26 last year.

In a separate ruling, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 306 ordered Celiz and Badoy to pay P2.07 million in damages for red-tagging Kapuso journalist Atom Araullo and his mother, Carol Araullo.

Meanwhile, various Filipino migrant and human rights organizations have expressed strong opposition to Celis’ potential asylum bid in Canada.

In a letter addressed to Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, and MP Jenny Kwan, groups such as Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Migrante International, and the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines urged Canadian authorities to deny Celiz’s asylum request.

“Celiz has a documented history of red-tagging, publicly labeling individuals and organizations as affiliated with communist insurgencies, thus putting activists, human rights defenders, and even journalists at grave risk,” the letter stated.

The groups also warned that Celiz’s presence in Canada poses a threat to legitimate victims of political persecution.

“His ongoing activities in Canada threaten the safety of individuals who sought refuge here from persecution in the Philippines, as well as Filipino Canadians critical of the Philippine government’s human rights record and policies.” — DVM, GMA Integrated News