A confidential memorandum issued by the Office of the President and signed by the Executive Secretary directs relevant Philippine agencies to suspend all negotiations on loan agreements and grants with countries that co-sponsored and or voted in favor of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution to look into the human-rights situation in the country.
This memo was quickly refuted by Malacañang.
“The President has not issued any memorandum suspending loans and negotiations involving 18 countries that voted in favor of the Iceland resolution,” Duterte spokesman and chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo told reporters in a text message.
However, according to the copy obtained by BusinessMirror, the August 27 memo was signed by Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea “by order of the President.”
“In light of the Administration’s strong rejection of the Resolution of the United Nations Human Rights Council which was carried through by the votes of the minority of the Council members on 11 July 2019 and calls upon the Philippines to take certain actions in relation to alleged human rights violations in the country, all concerned officials are DIRECTED to suspend negotiations for and signing of all loan and grant agreements with the governments of the countries that co-sponsored and/or voted in favor of the aforesaid resolution, pending the assessment of our relations with these countries,” the memo read.
“This directive shall take effect immediately and remain effective until lifted by this office,” it added.
Multiple government sources also confirmed the existence of the document.
When asked to confirm if the Office of the President has issued such memo, Panelo said in a text message to BusinessMirror: “Not true. Just talked to PRRD [President Rodrigo Roa Duterte].”
When asked if this means government agencies can now continue their loan agreements with the 18 countries that voted to approve the UNHRC resolution, Panelo replied: “Obviously.”
With a vote of 18 affirmative, 14 negative and 15 abstentions , the Iceland-proposed resolution was adopted by the UNHRC, which is composed of 47 countries.
The 18 countries who backed the resolution are Argentina, Austria, Australia, Bahamas, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, Iceland, Italy, Peru, Mexico, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom including Northern Ireland and Uruguay.
It specifically asked UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet to write a comprehensive report on the situation in the Philippines and present it to the council.
The UNHRC also urged the government to cooperate with UN offices and mechanisms by facilitating country visits and refraining from all acts of intimidation or retaliation.
The Philippines has also since issued a directive rejecting financial aid from the European Union in response to the persistent criticisms of the regional bloc on the President’s war on drugs.