Foreign Affairs Sec. Teodoro Locsin Jr. made it clear to the international community that a “strong government is better”, adding that governments are built in the first place to “get things done” as long as it is consistent with their respective constitutions.
In his speech at the high-level general debate at the United Nation’s 74th General Assembly, Locsin said all democracies are pretentions to some degrees and that the growing electoral trend toward strong governments does not change its democratic character.
“The democratic election of strong governments that talk tough and brush aside UN demands well-meaning for the most part. Weak governments, unable to protect their people, appear desirable; because they make the case for multilateral intervention at the prompting of conscience of course but sometimes at the unilateral prompting of great powers or violent or civil non-state actors.” Locsin said.
Locsin also responded to international calls to free detained Sen. Leila De Lima.
This comes as the UN High Commission for Human Rights described De Lima’s detention as arbitrary and politically motivated.
US lawmakers called for De Lima’s release as well such as Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin and Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy.
“The problem with that is that she is facing charges, then it has to go to trial, the idea of a someone who’s charge to being acquitted without a trial just because of a senatorial petition, I think that’s’ a violation itself of the rule of law” Locsin added.
Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez who is among the dozens of Filipinos who came to support Manila’s top diplomat believed Sec. Locsin was able to highlight and respond to the issues thrown at the Philippines.
“[The] Secretary is able to again bring out all the issues that were being thrown our way especially in the human rights issues. he was clear about it really human rights is something that we value, but at the same time the government in the Philippines is doing what it has to do to fight criminality,” Romualdez said.
Locsin also made it clear to the international body that the UN is not free to interfere with the Philippines’ internal affairs such as the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
“The Filipino people has already taken as their own the war on drugs, they can cry about it, they can complain about it but they’re talking to themselves, all the critics, the Filipino people own the drug war,” Locsin said.
“He was able to articulate what we have been working on the code of conduct. I think we’re moving forward on that one, he urged the UN to help us in making sure that this code of conduct will be implemented soon,” Romualdez said.
Locsin told the international body that the Philippines renewed its commitment to the ideals of the United Nations to end the scourge of war, to uphold justice and human rights and to maintain peace and amity among nations. (Jasper Camilo)