MANILA — The Philippine Senate on Tuesday adopted a resolution ensuring Filipinos facing foreign or international arrest are given reasonable time to seek relief from local courts before being removed from the country.
Senate Resolution No. 307, sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, was approved March 17 following a period of amendments in which Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III introduced revisions that Cayetano accepted.
Among the changes was replacing the term “extraordinary rendition” with “extrajudicial rendition” in both the title and operative portions of the measure, a revision Cayetano said better reflects the resolution’s intent to uphold due process and carries fewer negative connotations.
“Last week when we brought this up, the intention of everyone was to make sure of due process, to make sure our Constitution is followed,” Cayetano said, citing Senate President Pro Tempore Aquilino “Ping” Lacson III’s concern over the earlier terminology.
The resolution passed with three dissenting votes, from Sens. Risa Hontiveros, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, and Bam Aquino.
Cayetano stressed the measure is prospective in application and covers all Filipino citizens, framing access to Philippine courts as a constitutional safeguard.
“The bottom line of this resolution is that, for whatever reason, every Filipino should be able to run to [a Philippine] court before he is removed from the country,” he said.
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