Australian Senator Janet Rice made a silent protest while President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. addressed the Parliament of Australia on Thursday, February 28.
On her X (formerly Twitter) account, Rice shared a photo of her holding a placard that says "STOP THE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES" during Marcos' speech.
"Under President Marcos Jr, corruption in the Philippines is getting worse. There are hundreds of political prisoners and 'anti-terrorism' laws are used as legal cover for extrajudicial killings," she captioned.
"Yet the Australian Government invited him to address the Parliament today. Shame," the senator added.
Under President Marcos Jr, corruption in the Philippines is getting worse. There are hundreds of political prisoners and 'anti-terrorism' laws are used as legal cover for extrajudicial killings.
— Janet Rice (@janet_rice) February 29, 2024
Yet the Australian Government invited him to address the Parliament today. Shame. pic.twitter.com/iDcSzBCWkL
Interviewed on Sky News Australia's News Day, Rice shared that she was escorted out of the chamber amidst the address.
"There was a note from the Speaker that was sent to me with the sergeant of arms asking me to leave the chamber because of disorderly conduct. I was proud to have been there, to hold up the sign and I left the chamber," she said.
According to Rice, Marcos is continuing the policies of his predecessor, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
"There's currently and International Criminal Court investigation into the practices and the thousands of killings under Duterte's presidency. Under Marcos, we've still got the same extrajudicial killings, human rights defenders, environmental workers, and trade unionists being jailed. We've got killing," she said, adding that the Philippines' judicial system is broken as those responsible "are not being brought to account."
The senator also pointed out Marcos was "whitewatching the dictatorship" of his late father, former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
For these reasons, the Philippine president "should not have been invited."
As per Rice, she will not be mum on human rights abuses.
On Wednesday, February 28, Marcos flew to Australia as guest of its government.
The Presidential Communications Office earlier said the chief executive will discuss the vision for the Strategic Partnership between the Philippines and Australia signed last year.
