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Ni ESTONG REYES
HINDI ikinatuwa ni Senador Robin Padilla ang pasaring ng isang mambabatas mula sa bansang Australia.
Para kay Padilla, hindi angkop ang binitawang salita ni Australian Senator Janet Rice kaugnay ng di umano’y lantarang paglabag sa karapatang pantao sa Pilipinas hhabang nagsasalita si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sa Australian Parliament.
Hirit ni Padilla sa mga kawa mambabatas, pagtibayin ang inihaing Senate Resolution 944 na nagsusulong sa Senado para ideklarang persona non grata ang Australian legislator.
“Rice engaged in unparliamentary behavior by expressing her dissent through an act of protest during the proceedings. As reflected in the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives of the Australian Parliament, Senator Rice was directed to leave the Chamber for disorderly behavior,” saad sa isang bahagi ng resolusyon ni Padilla.
“Resolved by the Senate, as it is hereby resolved, to condemn Australian Senator Janet Rice and to urge the Department of Foreign Affairs to declare her as persona non grata for her unparliamentary behavior during President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.’s address before the Australian Parliament in Canberra.”
Subalit sa halip na talakayin sa plenaryo, pinaubaya sa Senate Committee on Rules ang pagpapasya kung kailan o kung angkop na patulan ang hirit ni Padilla.
Noong nakaraang linggo, lantarang ipinakita ni Rice kasama ang tatlo pang miyembro ng Australian Parliament ang kanilang protesta sa human right abuses ng diktadurya ng ama ni Marcos.
Habang nagsasalita si Marcos, nagpakita si Rice ng isang placard na may nakasulat na mensaheng, “Stop Human Rights Abuses.”
Sa kasunod na post sa X (dating Twitter), sinabi ni Rice na malaking kahihiyan sa Australian Parliament ang pagbibigay ng pagkakataon kay Marcos na magtalumpati.
“Under President Marcos Jr, corruption in the Philippines is getting worse. There are hundreds of political prisoners and anti-terrorism laws are used as legal cover for extrajudicial killings. Yet the Australian Government invited him to address the Parliament today. Shame,” ayon kay Rice.
Samantala, hiwalay na nagprotesta si Australian Senator Jordon Steele John, sa labas ng Parliament habang nagsasalita si Marcos.
“While President Marcos Jr gave a speech to the parliament today, I was proud to protest in solidarity with the Australian-Filipino community outside parliament! Stop the human rights abuses!” saad sa Instagram post ng banyagang senador.
Nagpahayag naman ng kanyang saloobin si Australian Senators Barbara Pocock sao X to na nagpapahayag ng pagkadismaya sa pagbisita ni Marcos ‘ sa kanyang bansa, habang nadismaya naman si Senator David Shoebridge na nagwika – “Australian Parliament is once more being used to launder the political reputation of those involved in serious human rights abuses.”
