President Rodrigo Duterte banned another US senator from entering the Philippines.
This is Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts.
According to Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, the ban was given to Markey after he spoke and called for the release of Senator Leila De Lima.
Markey also supported the entry ban of several Philippine officials in the US.
Duterte bans another US senator from entering PH
“Yes, same reason for banning Durbin and Leahy. Truth to tell, we don’t have to state any ground to ban a foreign national entry in the Philippines. That is an exercise of sovereign right, ”Panelo said in his message to INQUIRER.net.
Meanwhile, Senator Leila De Lima marked her 1000th day in detention on November 20, 2019
The senator has been detained at the custodial center of the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame since February 2017.
De Lima is accused of neglecting the flood of illegal drugs in Bilibid when she was a Justice secretary.
President Rodrigo Duterte, meanwhile, criticized De Lima during his speech at the 80th anniversary of the Department of National Defense (DND) at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
Vice President Leni Robredo, former President Benigno Aquino III, and hundreds of leaders across the globe condemned De Lima’s continued detention.