Angara: No lecturing from EU parliamentarians

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Special Envoy to the European Union Edgardo Angara yesterday hit as a “gross misinterpretation” the warning of visiting members of the EU Parliament that the Philippines could be meted sanctions by the EU over the reported extrajudicial killings in the country.

Angara, a former Senate president, was commenting on the warning of seven visiting members of EU Parliament that the country stands to lose its preferential treatment of exports, which currently enjoy low or zero tariffs, if the reported human rights violations continue.

“The seven-member delegation’s dire warning… that the Philippines could be expelled from the UNHRC (United Nations Human Rights Council) and forfeit its preferential trade with EU, is a gross misinterpretation,” Angara said.

He was referring to the EU parliamentarians belonging to the Progressive Alliance and the Party of European Socialists who earlier visited the country.

He said those in the visiting delegations “do not represent the governing majority in the EU Parliament.”

Angara and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez returned from a series of meetings from Sept. 25 to 27 in Brussels with key EU Parliament members and executives of the EU Commission.

Angara and Lopez had extensive discussions with them over different aspects of the bilateral relationship, including trade and development, technical assistance, human rights and governance.

“None of the gloomy predictions the seven-member delegation said in Manila was ever suggested at all in Brussels,” Angara said.

Angara also said all the members of parliament and officials of the EU Commission they had met welcomed the Philippines’ openness to dialogue and consultations. 

The parliamentarians and EU officials also expressed much appreciation for President Duterte’s initiative to set up a monitoring center and the invitation he extended to European Council president Donald Tusk to attend the Leaders’ Summit in Manila in November.

“In all the meetings, the EU representatives invariably asked how the EU can help the Philippines cope with the drug crisis and fight ISIS. There was no moralizing and lecturing. The atmosphere was civil and the tone cooperative,” Angara added.