Rody wants 2 US lawmakersbarred from visiting Philippines

DA NANG  – President Duterte wants to include in the Bureau of Immigration’s watchlist two US lawmakers who criticized US President Donald Trump for inviting him to visit America.

Duterte did not name names, but he was apparently referring to Representatives Randy Hultgren (Republican, Illinois) and James McGovern (Democrat, Massachusetts), who had called on Trump to highlight the human rights situation in the Philippines in his upcoming visit in Manila. 

Hultgren and McGovern are co-chairs of the US Congress’ Human Rights Commission. Last July, McGovern said he would lead a protest once Duterte enters the White House.

“If you do not like me, I do not like you. We’re even,”  Duterte said in a press briefing with the Malacañang Press Corps late Thursday night.

“I will tell them, you are too presumptuous. What made you think that I am even planning or thinking about visiting your country? And I’d like to know their names also because I can include them in the immigration barred list. Totoo (it’s true),” he said.

But Duterte did not say whether he wanted the two lawmakers declared “persona non grata” in the Philippines.

“If you think you protest my coming into your country, why? Would you think also that I’d like to… You are also prohibited from entering mine, or I will protest if that is the farthest that I can go,” he said.

Duterte also said he would confront the two lawmakers upon entering any of the Philippine airports.

“I’ll meet you in the airport. Somebody should tell me they’re coming. And I will just see you. You, son of a b****. You can come here because we have existing agreements. But I really do not like you also,” he added.    – With Marvin Sy

Duterte reiterated that he still has no plans to visit the US and even Australia despite the start of good relations between the Philippines and the two countries.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, a supporter of Duterte, told Hultgren and McGovern to mind their own business. – With Marvin Sy