MANILA, Philippines – Members of the European Parliament visited the Philippines as part of efforts to cooperate on human rights and reforms in the country’s justice sector.
The mission, which took place from Wednesday, February 22, to Friday, February 24, saw European Union lawmakers hold meetings with their counterparts in Congress, as well as Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual.
The delegation also visited detained former senator Leila de Lima, who marked her sixth year in jail on Friday.
The European Parliament is among the institutions that has expressed concern over killings and abuses in the Philippines under former president Rodrigo Duterte, as well as De Lima’s continued detention. It has also passed several resolutions expressing concern over threats to press freedom in the Philippines.
What did members of Europe’s parliament learn from their visit and how do they assess the new Marcos government’s approach to human rights?
Rappler sits down with European lawmaker Hannah Neumann to discuss the state of human rights in the Philippines and other issues.
Tune in to the interview on Friday, February 24, at 12:30 pm. – Rappler.com
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