(NI NOEL ABUEL)

DAPAT na magprotesta ang Pilipinas laban sa Chinese government kaugnay ng masamang sinapit ni dating Supreme Court Justice at ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales sa paliparan ng Hong Kong noong Martes.

Ito ang hamon ng ilang senador kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte dahil sa hindi umano katanggap-tanggap ang nangyari sa pamilya ni Morales at sa lahat ng Filipino sa buong mundo.

Ayon kay Senador Risa Hontiveros malinaw na isang uri ng ganti kay Morales ang ginawa nitong pagsasampa ng kaso laban sa mga opisyales ng Chinese government sa International Criminal Court (ICC) kaugnay ng “crimes against humanity” at sa usapin sa West Philippine Sea.

“I challenge President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration to defend one of the country’s most accomplished public servants and bring this directly to the Chinese government, lest it be accused of siding with China against one of our country’s own citizens,” ani Hontiveros.

“Bullying a 78-year-old former public servant who is known for her sterling public service record is ludicrous. I call on the Chinese government to explain why it held for four hours without any explanation a former high-ranking Philippine government official and a senior citizen who simply went to Hong Kong with her grandchildren to have a vacation,” dagdag pa nito.

At sa nangyari umano kay Morales na kilalang dating opisyal ng pamahalaan ay hindi malayong mangyari kahit sinong Filipino na nais magtungo sa China dahil lamang sa paggigiit ng Pilipinas na sakop nito ang West Philippine Sea na inaangkin ng China.

Sinabi naman ni Senador Leila de Lima na ang nangyaring insidente ay dapat na iprotesta ng Pilipinas dahil hindi dapat ituring na personal ng China ang ginawang paghahain ng kaso ni Morales laban kay Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“This incident must not be reduced into a personal affront to which the government should have no say. It should instead be considered by our government as a signal that the Del Rosario-Morales complaint vs. Chinese President Xi Jinping over “crimes against humanity” is being treated as a serious matter, and it should thus do the same. It should treat this controversial incident as nothing less than a national issue,” sabi nito.

“Mahiya naman kayo! Ombudsman Morales has served this country with the honor and dignity befitting a public servant of the highest order. I suggest you do the same,” giit ni De Lima sa China.