JUSTICE CHIEF CHASTISED BY PIMENTEL
FOR DISCOURTEOUS TREATMENT OF IPU OFFICIALS

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Nene Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today castigated Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez for using uncouth language during his conversation with three visiting officials from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) who are conducting an inquiry into allegations of political persecution of leftist party-list lawmakers and other human rights violations.

Pimentel said Gonzalez spoke in a manner not befitting a high public official when he told the three foreign dignitaries IPU Secretary General Anders Johnsson of Sweden, Senator Sharon Carnstairs of Canada, Vice President of the IPU Committee on Human Rights; and Committee Secretary Ingeborg Schwarz to go home after the transmitted the IPU's request for the release of Anak-Pawis party-list Rep. Crispin Beltran and inquired into the cases against five other congressmen from leftist party-list groups.

"Kanto (street)-boy language doesn't fit the DOJ office specially in dealing with foreign dignitaries," he said.

The opposition senator recalled that Gonzalez used the same discourteous remark when United Nations special rapporteur on human rights Philip Alston paid a courtesy call on him in connection with his investigation of extra-judicial killings of political activists and journalists in Manila last February.

Pimentel reminded Gonzalez that Johnsson, Carnstairs and Schwartz came to the country on official, and not on a personal mission, by virtue of a resolution passed by IPU composed of legislators from 143 countries, including the Philippines, to inquire into allegations of political harassment and violation of civil liberties of party-list representatives who have been fighting abuse of power and political repression by the Arroyo administration.

As such, they should be accorded utmost courtesy and extended full cooperation by Philippine government officials in the discharge of their official mission, Pimentel stressed.