Robredo to Duterte gov’t: Don’t dismiss EU lawmakers over human rights

Vice President Leni Robredo urged the Duterte government to respond to European lawmakers’ push to remove tariff perks for the Philippines by showing how the country is honoring commitments to uphold human rights.

In her weekly radio show with co-host Ely Saludar on Sunday, September 20, Robredo said the reaction of Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on EU’s recent move was “a wrong one.”

On Friday, Roque goaded the EU to revoke the Philippines’ Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status, which provides tariff privileges for some 6,000 Filipino goods. “If they want to do that, we can’t do anything. Let them watch as the Filipino nation suffers,” he said in Filipino.

“Tingin ko, Ka Ely, maling reaksyon iyon kasi ang dapat na reaksyon, sabihin mo na – ipakita mo na sinusundan natin iyong ating commitments. Kasi para sa akin, Ka Ely, karapatan iyon ng EU kasi privilege iyon, eh,” said Robredo. (I think Ely, it’s a wrong reaction. They should instead be showing that we’re honoring our commitments. Because for me, Ely, the EU’s move is their prerogative because the Philippines is being provided a privilege.)

The Vice President argued that the Philippines was given such privileges because of international commitments and treaties the country signed with the EU, like those concerning the protection of human rights, freedom of the press, and the non-persecution of political opponents in the country.

“Iyong para sa akin ang tamang stance, Ka Ely, i-prove sa EU na wala tayong violation. Pero kapag dinismiss mo na kasi kaagad, Ka Ely, parang hindi iyon magandang… hindi magandang pagpapakita,” she continued. (That, for me, is the proper stance, Ely: Show to the EU that we do not have violations. But if you dismiss them immediately, Ely, it’s not a good impression to the EU.)

Robredo then reiterated the consequences of having these tariff perks revoked.

“Kasi kapag sinabi mong ‘eh ‘di tanggalan!’ sa panahon na… sa panahon na ang daming nawalan ng trabaho sa atin, dadagdagan mo pa, about 200,000 jobs iyon, Ka Ely.” (Because if you said, “So remove it then!” at the current situation where many jobs have been lost, you’d be adding to that problem. About 200,000 jobs would be affected, Ely.)

The EU Parliament on Thursday, September 17, adopted the resolution recommending the revocation of the Philippines’ tariff privileges by a vote of 626-7-52. 

The resolution called on the European Commission, “in the absence of any substantial improvement and willingness to cooperate on the part of the Philippine authorities, to immediately initiate the procedure which could lead to the temporary withdrawal of GSP+ preferences.” – Rappler.com