Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/RICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III had this to say to US senators’ meddling in Philippine affairs: “Mind your own business.”
In a Twitter post on Tuesday, Sotto tagged Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, one of five US senators, who called for the release of Senator Leila de Lima.
“To our US counterparts – “mind your own business, scratch your own galis” that’s what my kalaro says when I was young,” the Senate leader said.
Sotto said he tagged Rubio in his post because the latter was a signatory to a resolution, which called for De Lima’s release and the dropping of charges against Rappler and its chief Maria Ressa.
Other signatories in the resolution were Senators Edward Markey of Massachusetts, Richard Durbin of Illinois, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, and Christopher Coons of Delaware.
READ: 5 US senators: Free De Lima
“Akala yata nila Commonwealth pa tayo,” Sotto said in a text message, referring to the period from 1935 to 1946 when the US administered the Philippines prior to the latter’s independence.
In another Twitter post over the weekend, Senator Panfilo Lacson also slammed their US counterparts telling them the Philippines is not their “colony.”
“A PH Senate resolution is appropriate to call out these 5 US senators. We are not their colony,” Lacson said.
“We have a Constitution that provides for three (3) co-equal branches and a judicial system where due process is followed, regardless of its flaws and weaknesses,” he added.
READ: Lacson slams US senators: We are not your colony
De Lima has been charged and detained over drug charges while cases have been filed against Rappler and its officials, including Ressa, for allegedly violating the Constitution’s requirement on foreign ownership.
Ressa was also arrested but later freed after posting bail for a cyberlibel case. /cbb
READ: Rappler’s Maria Ressa arrested for cyberlibel