Senator Koko Pimentel on Tuesday tagged the possible withdrawal of the country from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) as an “extreme step.”
Pimentel issued the statement after House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said she would recommend to the Senate the withdrawal of the country from the IPU after it voiced its concern over alleged human rights violations in the country.
READ: Arroyo to push PH withdrawal from IPU
According to Pimentel, if the Speaker’s recommendation reaches the Senate, the matter would still have to be discussed.
“I think we should talk about it, we should keep an open mind. Maybe the withdrawal is such an extreme step to take,” Pimentel said in an interview with ABS CBN News Channel.
Pimentel also accused the IPU of “overreaching” and “refusing” to understand the biggest situation of human rights in the country.
“In this particular case, I think there is an overreach by the IPU and refusal to understand,” Pimentel said.
“The committee on the human rights of parliamentary is doing its job, but part of your job is investigating and also listening not only to the complainant, but to the other side, and you should seriously listen,” he added.
Pimentel also said that he already appeared before the same committee and explained the constitutional set-up of the country. However, according to him, the committee is “closed minded’ even after hearing his side.
“They are so obsessed with protecting the rights of their fellow parliamentarians, that’s a good attitude; but another good attitude is to be open minded and to be objective,” he noted. /muf