"MANILA, Philippines -- Foreign activists who will join rallies during next week's meetings of Southeast Asian foreign ministers in Manila will be arrested and deported, Philippine immigration authorities warned Thursday.
"Foreigners have no business joining rallies here as it is tantamount to interfering in our country's domestic political activities," Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said in a statement.
His comments came after dozens of foreigner activists joined Filipinos on Monday as they marched in the capital against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's State of the Nation address in Congress."
I have joined two anti-war rallies as a 'foreigner' in England. If this idiotic Marcelino Libanan is to be followed, I should have been deported ages ago. The ASEAN meeting is not a DOMESTIC activity. Duh, hello!!! Kaya nga ASEAN eh, so apektado lahat ng nasa ASEAN. So kung may nag-rally na Vietnamese sa Manila, karapatan nya yon.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel herself ensured that protesters will be allowed to travel close to the G8 meeting a couple of months ago. In the first place, these people are the real stakeholders.
It's what's called democracy. For as long as these foreigners are peaceful, let them have a go expressing freedom of speech. Wherever you are in the world, you shouldn't get arrested for it
Marcelino Libanan, you are a Promil Baby! The list of idiotic people in GMA's cabinet is growing. Puppies please, you think you have the moral high ground to be in the UN Human Rights Commission?