Category Archives: Travel

U.S. Senators Leahy And Durbin Banned From Entering PH, Will Maria Ressa Be Next?

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau)  –  The Philippines on Friday barred from entry 2 United States Senators supportive of detained Philippine Senator Leila de Lima amid the possible US ban on Filipino officials behind her arrest.

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Bureau of Immigration to deny Philippine entry to Senators Patrick Leahy and Dick Durbin after they sought to ban Filipino officials involved in what they called the “wrongful imprisonment” of De Lima, a staunch administration critic.

”The U.S. can’t bully us.  We’ll bully them instead,” Duterte was overheard saying to confidants in Malacanang.

There are also rumors that Duterte will soon order the revocation of the dual citizenship of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, deport her to the U.S, and  ban her from re-entering the Philippines.  The Duterte administration considers Ressa an “enemy of the state” for the false, exaggerated statements she and Rappler have been spreading about the Philippines’ war on drugs and the state of press freedom in the country.

(It will be recalled that an online petition asking for the revocation of Ressa’s dual citizenship has garnered more thant 54,000 signatures to date.)

As for de Lima, Duterte told The Adobo Chronicles, “Like Pontius Pilate, I wash my hands.  Her fate is now in the hands of the Philippine courts.”

 

U.S. State Department Issues Advisory To Journalists Traveling To The Philippines

WASHINGTON, D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) –  The U.S. State Department has issued a travel advisory for American journalists covering the news in the Philippines.

The advisory came just days after a “60 Minutes” segment aired in which Maria Ressa, CEO of online news source Rappler said that the Philippines is the “worst war zone” she has ever been in.  She made the comment in reference to Rodrigo Duterte’s government which she accused of “weaponizing the law” to curtail her freedom of speech.

The State Department warned foreign journalists to be extra careful when in the Philippines, urging them to wear the appropriate military gear while covering the news.

U.S. Issues New Travel Advisory On The Philippines

WASHINGTON, D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles, Washington Bureau) – The U.S. State Department has issued a new  advisory warning U. S, citizens about traveling to the Philippines.

The State Department issued the advisory following  the “60 Minutes” interview with online news source Rappler CEO Maria Ressa who described the Philippines as ‘the worst war zone she’s ever been in.”

The advisory discourages U.S. citizens — including Filipino Americans planning on a Christmas Holiday to the Philippines —  from going on a trip at this time.

”We trust trust Ressa’s credibility, and we hope Americans will heed our advice,” a State Department official said.