"We strongly advise the United States to respect our own laws and processes in the same way that we respect theirs," PH Embassy in Washington

The signing of US president Donald Trump of the US 2020 budget brings about the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act that can sanction Philippines officials involved in the "wrongful imprisonment" of opposition senator Leila De Lima since 2017.

Department of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra was asked to comment on the possible US ban on Philippine officials said that it is an issue of "sovereignty and non-interference among co-equal nations."

"[A]s for me, [I] don't give a damn s*** if [I]'m included in the US list. [I}'m not the one who has to answer to my conscience," Guevarra said in a statement.

Philippine Embassy in Washington
(photo credit to owner)

The US embassy in Washington called on the US government to respect the country’s laws amid the calls to ban Philippine government officials after US President Donald Trump signed the US budget for 2020.

"All countries have the sovereign prerogative to allow or ban individuals from entering their borders," the Philippine Embassy said in a statement 

"We strongly advise the United States to respect our own laws and processes in the same way that we respect theirs," it added.

A provision of the US 2020 budget indicated that:

The Secretary of State shall apply subsection (c) to foreign government officials about whom the Secretary has credible information (sic.) have been involved in the wrongful imprisonment of: [...] Senator Leila de Lima who was arrested in the Philippines in 2017. 

Those who may be possibly banned from entering the United States of America are President Rodrigo Duterte, his spokesman Salvador Panelo, Solicitor General Jose Calida, and Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission chair Dante Jimenez among others.

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Report from PhilStar