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Rubio, Markey, Colleagues Introduce Resolution Highlighting Human Rights Concerns in the Philippines

Apr 5, 2019 | Press Releases

Tampa, FL — U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) introduced a bipartisan resolution that condemns the ongoing human rights abuses in the Philippines. The resolution specifically raised the cases of Philippine Senator Leila de Lima and journalist, Maria Ressa. Senator de Lima has been detained for more than 700 days on allegations of drug trafficking that observers widely agree are in response to her criticism of Duterte’s government policies.
 
Similarly, Ressa, the founder of the online news platform Rappler, has been arrested multiple times on libel charges after publishing articles that investigated the Duterte government’s role in extrajudicial killings during anti-narcotic operations. As with the case of Senator de Lima, the charges brought against Ressa appear to be without merit and constitute an effort to intimidate peaceful voices critical of the government’s policies.     
 
Rubio and Markey were joined by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Chris Coons (D-DE).
 
The full text of the resolution can be found here.