Press Release
January 8, 2007

PIMENTEL ASSAILS GOVT FOR BLOCKING
ENTRY OF BRITISH MISSIONARY

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Nene Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today said the governments fascistic tendency reared its ugly head once more when it arbitrarily sent away a British missionary priest hours after setting foot on Philippine soil.

Pimentel said Fr. Frank Nally, upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Friday evening, was detained by airport security and put him on the next plane bound for Hong Kong the following day.

I denounce the fascistic treatment of Fr. Nally at the NAIA. They held him upon his arrival Friday night and sent him back to Hong Kong Saturday morning without any reason, he said.

Apparently, Pimentel said Fr. Nallys name was in the watchlist of foreigners who are barred from coming to the country on suspicion that they will take part in the protest rallies during the 12th leaders summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Cebu on Jan. 13-15.

I suspect that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo did not want Fr. Nally coming to the country because he was here with British Member of Parliament Claire Short last July to look into mining operations in Mindanao and the extra-judicial killings, Pimentel said.

Considering the circumstances behind the maltreatment and deportation of Fr. Nally, Pimentel asked are we now under martial law?

The opposition senator also said the shameful incident smacks of the Arroyo governments insincerity and double talk in inviting foreign observers to look into the human rights situation in the country in the wake of series of extra-judicial killings of political activists.

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