“She should address that to lawmakers, not to us,” Panelo says
(Eagle News) — The Palace on Tuesday, Jan. 22, slammed United Nations Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard after she criticized the Philippines for a House of Representatives proposal to lower the age of criminal liability to nine years old.
“She should address that to the lawmakers, not to us,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.
The Philippines has a presidential system of government where the principle of separation of powers applies.
Under this principle, the function to legislate belongs to Congress, or the House of Representatives and the Senate; the function to execute laws belongs to the the executive, or the Palace and Cabinet members, among others; and the function to interpret laws belongs to the judiciary or the courts.
According to Panelo, “what is shameful is ‘yung nakikialam (si Callamard)” and when she “intrudes into the sovereignty of this country.”
He said “before you open your mouth, you better know your facts,” noting that foreign observers in general rely only on statements by critics of the administration.
“Let them read the bill,” Panelo said.
In a Tweet, Callamard, who earned the ire of President Rodrigo Duterte after she criticized his administration’s drug war, said “the lowering of criminal responsibility to 9 years old is Philippines’ new dangerous and potentially deadly proposal.”
On Monday, the bill was approved by the House justice panel.
“Just shameful,” she said.
