Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 October 2016
32. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the reports of statesanctioned death squads and vigilantism in the Philippines under President Duterte; the assistance being offered to a person (details supplied) and his or her family in an appeal in the Philippines against a 12-year prison sentence for a trivial offence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30277/16]
View answerI ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the reports of state-sanctioned death squads and vigilantism in the Philippines under President Duterte; the assistance being offered to a person - details supplied, which I will name now in a second - and his or her family in an appeal in the Philippines against a 12-year prison sentence for a trivial offence; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Please do not name anybody.
I will have to.
The Deputy should not name anybody outside the House.
Ibrahim Halawa is outside the House.
I expressed my concerns in this House on 16 September in regards to the severe counter-drugs actions being pursued in the Philippines. Ireland opposes the use of capital punishment and has consistently called for its abolition in the United Nations and other fora. Ireland supports the recommendations which were set out following a UN General Assembly special session on countering the world drug problem held in April 2016. States should promote proportionate policies for drug-related offences and pursue public health and criminal justice approaches that ensure legal guarantees and due process safeguards and that are in full compliance with international law and international human rights standards.
I am very much aware of this consular case as raised by Deputy Kenny and the very difficult circumstances in which this individual and his family find themselves. I have personally raised my concerns with senior Philippines Government contacts, including most recently on 22 September in New York, when I met with my counterpart, the secretary of foreign affairs of the Philippines Government.
I and my Department officials are continuing to give the matter priority attention. My Department officials at headquarters in Dublin, at our embassy in Singapore, which is accredited to the Philippines, and at our honorary consul in Manila have all been engaged in the case, provided consular assistance and raised the individual’s concerns with appropriate authorities in Manila.
The citizen and his family are in regular contact with my consular officials in Singapore and Dublin. The consul from our embassy in Singapore and our honorary consul in Manila met with the individual in Manila on 12 October 2016. Officials from my Department have met with the wife of the individual concerned. Our ambassador in Singapore has raised the case on a number of occasions with the Philippines Government when visiting Manila, most recently with the foreign ministry on 19 October 2016.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
The case has also been raised formally with the Ambassador of the Philippines to Ireland.
I understand that there is to be an appeal in this case to the Supreme Court. For any Irish citizen subject to criminal proceedings abroad, my Department officials will offer non-judgemental advice and any appropriate practical help that they can, irrespective of the alleged offence and regardless of whether the individual is ultimately deemed to be innocent or guilty, is on remand or has already been sentenced by a court of law.
I can assure the Deputy that the Philippines authorities are fully aware that I and my Department are following this case closely, and that we are concerned about the individual’s health and wellbeing.
My Department officials, especially our Embassy in Singapore and our Honorary Consulate in Manila, will continue to maintain contact with this citizen and his family and will provide whatever further appropriate consular assistance we can.
I will have to stop the Minister there because we are running out of time.
I appreciate that things have been done in the background. Mr. O'Cochlain was found in 2013 with a tiny amount of cannabis and he is stating that it was put on him for reasons of bribery. The worrying thing is that this Philippino president sounds like a maniac. The stats are quite incredible. Since 1 July, 3,600 people have been killed in the Philippines. There are extra-judicial killings, death squads and incitements to kill from the president in raging a drugs war. Amongst all this, Mr. O'Cochlain is in fear of his life. I believe he is living under pretty horrible circumstances. He has been there for the last three years. Terribly, three of his relatives have died in those three years. He has not been able to come back to Ireland. I am hoping that the Minister and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade can do everything in their power to get this man's passport back.
I wish to say briefly to Deputy Kenny that I am aware of the concerns and of the issues regarding the health and welfare of the individual concerned. I wish to assure the Deputy of my own personal action on this issue and those of my officials both here and in the district.
That concludes questions to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. My apologies to all of those Members who were waiting for further questions to be taken.
