Tit for tat
The United States has banned entry into that country of certain Philippine officials it believes were responsible for what it alleges is the wrongful detention of Leila de Lima, a senator facing drug-related charges. The Philippines should reciprocate the friendly gesture and give America a Christmas gift it will not soon forget.
What the Philippines should do is similarly ban those American officials responsible for the said ban. Not that these officials would give a damn, or even want to visit the Philippines in the first place. But a reciprocal ban by the Philippines would send a clear signal to that country that we, the sovereign Filipino people, have grown tired of American meddling in Philippine affairs.
Anybody can have an opinion on the De Lima case, but the fact remains that it is now before the appropriate Philippine courts, awaiting disposition in a judicial process that America itself taught the Philippines. Until that case is properly disposed and adjudicated, no one, not even America or any of its self-righteous officials can second-guess where the process will take it.
Philippine courts patterned after America's and hewing closely, if not exactly, to its judicial processes have taken cognizance of the De Lima case and are now trying it. So how come some American officials are complaining? How did they even come to the conclusion that De Lima's detention is wrongful?
It would be interesting to find out if these American officials are aware that De Lima is probably the worst person to take up the cudgels for when it comes to wrongful detention. In case they are blissfully unaware of De Lima's past, all they have to do is Google her and go to where she defied the Philippine Supreme Court to detain Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
America bristles at the thought of Russian meddling in its elections, never mind if the supposed meddling took opportunity of its openness and welcoming business practices. Yet it has no qualms meddling in Philippine judicial affairs. At least with Russia, a state of political enmity exists between them, so some roughhousing may be expected. But the Philippines, a supposed friend of America?
Maybe the friendship is in name only, that the real score between them and us is that, in their eyes, we are still a de facto colony despite the guises of independence and that, deep at heart, they still expect us to do their bidding, to always toe the line that they draw for us, and that punishment would be immediately forthcoming for disobeying or displeasing it.
Philippine courts have jurisdiction over the De Lima case, not American officials. America may be the most powerful country in the world, but that does not give it the legal authority or the moral right to demand her freedom in the middle of trial. That would make it the most undemocratic and hypocritical country in the world. And because it insists, then maybe it truly is.
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