Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 April 2016
607. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has had discussions with his counterpart in the Philippines regarding a person (details supplied) who has been under house arrest in the Philippines for almost three years; the measures he is taking in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5448/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is providing consular assistance to the Irish citizen involved in this case.
In all of our interactions with our Philippines counterparts, we have consistently raised this case and have sought an early appeal date for the individual concerned on humanitarian grounds.
I raised this case and our concerns with the most senior representative of the Philippines government, Under-Secretary Evan Garcia, at the ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting last November. My Department’s director of our Asia Pacific regional unit raised this case again with the Ambassador of the Philippines, Enrique Manalo, in March 2016 during the latter’s visit to Dublin. Our Embassy in Singapore, which is accredited to the Philippines, has raised our concerns about this case with the authorities in that country on numerous occasions.
Following the most recent court decision in the Philippines, I note the decision of the individual concerned to file a motion with the Supreme Court. Our Embassy in Singapore has consistently encouraged the Irish citizen concerned to continue to engage in the legal process and to keep the Embassy aware of developments.
Our Embassy will continue to monitor the case closely and will continue to offer consular assistance.
