Persona non grata (Philippines)
Persona non grata, in the context of Philippine governance parlance, refers individuals or groups declared as unwelcome in a particular locality. This designation is merely symbolic and non-binding, and does not legally prohibit a person declared as persona non grata from stepping foot on that locality.
Definition
Persona non grata means an unwelcome person in Latin. In the context of diplomacy or international relations, a persona non grata declaration on a foreign citizen, usually a diplomat who otherwise has a privilege of immunity, is barred from entering the country which issued the declaration.[1] In the context of local governance in the Philippines, local government units (LGUs, including municipalities, cities, and provinces) could declare a person persona non grata. One such reason for a move is in response to the particular person breaking local ordinances and laws.[2]
The declaration would imply that a person is barred from entering the jurisdiction of a particular locality.[2] However, according to a Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) legal opinion, persona non grata declarations are often made through resolutions by the local legislature rather than ordinances and is merely made to express a sentiment; which effectively meant that such declarations are non-binding. In the case of the municipal council of Anahawan, Southern Leyte declaring then-newly installed Mayor Roberto Loquinte as persona non grata for their opinion of Loquinte being unfit for the position, the DILG said that the local legislature is within their right to issue the declaration but the same must be done "within the bounds of the law". It also said that it could not legally prevent Loquinte from assuming the position as Mayor and/or discharging his function, an act which the DILG finds reprehensible.[3][4]
Notable personae non gratae
The following are notable people or groups who were declared as persona non grata by local government units (LGUs) in the Philippines. This excludes foreigners who were only barred entry and/or deported by the Philippine national government but includes foreigners who were declared as persona non grata by LGUs.
Celebrities
Person/s | Issuing LGU | Date | Background | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Claire Danes | Manila | 1998 | The Manila City Council declared American actress Claire Danes after the shooting for the film Brokedown Palace as persona non grata and her movies were prohibited after derogatory comments she made about Manila and Filipinos in an interview with Vogue[5] and Premiere magazine.[6] In response to the declaration, then-President Joseph Estrada remarked that Danes should not be allowed to enter the Philippines. Danes later apologized for those remarks, but they refused to lift the ban.[7][8] | [9][8][7] |
Candy Pangilinan | Baguio | 2009 | At the Mother's Day event at SM Baguio, Pangilinan for a joke implying that the audience mistaken her as an Igorot with the punchline that she is a human being. Pangilinan has apologized after the show and said she misdelivered the line and intended to say "Igorot statue". The Baguio City Council passed a resolution declaring her as persona non grata. | [10] |
Ramon Bautista | Davao City | 2014 | The Davao City Council declared comedian Ramon Bautista as persona non grata for his remarks that there are many hipon in the city during a rave party which is part of the Kadayawan Festival. Hipon, which literally translates to shrimp, is a colloquial term for a person with an attractive body but an unappealing face. Bautista has apologized for his remarks. | [11] |
Leah Navarro | General Santos | 2019 | The city council of General Santos declared Leah Navarro a persona non grata after she indicated that the recent Mindanao earthquakes were a form of "retribution" in her reply to Former Supreme Court spokesperson Theodore Te's tweet, "What’s with all the earthquakes in Mindanao?" Navarro has deleted the tweet. | [12] |
Ai-Ai delas Alas Darryl Yap |
Quezon City | 2022 | The Quezon City Council declared the actress Ai-Ai delas Alas as persona non grata for "disrespecting city's official seal", this is due to the motion filed by the QC District IV Councilor Ivy Lagman accusing Ai-ai delas Alas and Darryl Yap of defacing the city's triangle seal in a two-minute and 21-second video uploaded on Yap's Vincentiments Facebook Page. A member of the city council said that this resolution is not aimed at barring Ai-Ai from the locality but only for expressing the official sentiment towards the artist.[13] Ai-Ai delas Alas's camp condemned the resolution.[14] | [15][16] |
Pura Luka Vega | Various[a] | 2023 | The drag artist was declared persona non grata by various local government units for their drag performance bar in a traditional Jesus Christ-inspired outfit singing to a rock rendition of Ama Namin (Lord's Prayer). Local-level officials condemned the act as disrespectful to the country's predominant Catholic faith. | [a] |
Politicians and government officials
Person/s | Issuing LGU | Date | Background | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rodolfo Fariñas | Ilocos Norte | 2017 | The Ilocos Norte Provincial Board declared Rodolfo Fariñas, incumbent 1st district representative of Ilocos Norte in the House of Representatives of the Philippines, as persona non grata after Fariñas launched an inquiry on the Ilocos Norte tobacco excise tax funds controversy. Fariñas himself is a resident of Laoag, the province's capital. | [2] |
Omar Mayo | Baguio | 2021 | The Baguio City Council declared Omar Mayo, the appointed project supervisor of the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to help resolve the BENECO leadership dispute as persona non grata on October 25, 2021, after he led a pre-dawn takeover of the BENECO headquarters with the help of armed personnel of the Philippine National Police on October 18. BENECO's leadership is disputed between NEA-appointed general manager Ana Maria Rafael and BENECO Board backed manager engineer Melchor Licoben. | [27] |
Marie Rafael | Benguet | 2021 | The province of Benguet declared Former PCOO Asec. Marie Rafael persona non grata after the armed forceful entry into the BENECO headquarters on Oct. 18, 2021. | [28] |
Walden Bello | Davao City | 2022 | The Davao City council declared Former Akbayan Representative and vice presidential candidate Walden Bello persona non grata for his statements in the 2022 vice presidential debates of where he called Davao City a trading hub for illegal drugs, and called the city government corrupt. | [29] |
Huang Xilian[b] | Kalayaan, Palawan | 2023 | The municipal council of Kalayaan of the province of Palawan declares Huang Xilian, the ambassador of the China to the Philippines as persona non grata in response to the August 2023 Second Thomas Shoal standoff to condemn the Chinese presence in the area. Kalayaan covers the disputed Spratly Islands. | [30] |
Groups
Group | Issuing LGU | Date | Background | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Communist Party of the Philippines New People's Army National Democratic Front |
Various | — | The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) says that around 1,546 local government units in the Philippines (64 provinces, 110 cities and 1,372 municipalities) has declared the communist rebel groups as persona non grata as of December 11, 2020. | [31][32] |
Panday Sining | Manila | 2019 | The Manila City Council declared the militant art group Panday Sining, the cultural unit of left-leaning organization Anakbayan, persona non grata for spray-painting on walls on United Nations Avenue and the Lagusnilad underpass with messages calling for the end of political repression. | [33] |
Usage by non-governmental entities
Aside from usage under the context of international diplomacy, persona non grata has been devised by non-governmental bodies in the Philippines. Such organization include the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), a private entity. The POC in 2011 declared former Philippine Karatedo Federation (PKF) president Go Teng Kok as persona non grata for violating the Olympic body's constitution and by-laws by taking legal action to prevent the recognition of then-newly installed PKF Enrico Vasquez.[34] In 2021, it did the same to Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) Philip Juico for his "malicious" public statements against Ernest John Obiena related to his federation's dispute on Obiena's accountability for the coaching fees of his coach.[35]
Notes
- ^ a b Pura Luka Vega has been declared as persona non grata in various local government units namely:
- Provinces (6): Bohol,[17] Bukidnon,[18] Dinagat Islands,[19] Laguna,[20] Nueva Ecija,[20] and Occidental Mindoro[19]
- Municipalities and cities (8): Cagayan de Oro,[20] Cebu City,[19] Floridablanca,[21] Lucena,[22] Mandaue,[23] Manila,[24] General Santos,[25] and Toboso[26]
- ^ Citizen of China and diplomat. Has not been declared as persona non grata by the Philippine national government as per the Vienna Convention.
References
- ^ "Persona non grata for beginners". The Filipino Times. April 29, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
- ^ a b c Dumlao, Artemio (June 28, 2017). "Fariñas declared persona non grata by his home province". The Philippine Star. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
- ^ "DILG Opinion No. 30 S. 2020" (PDF). Department of the Interior and Local Government. February 7, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
- ^ "League of Municipalities backs Tawi-tawi judge". The Mindanao Examiner. November 27, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
- ^ Van Meter, Jonathan (July 1998). "Perfectly Claire". Vogue. p. 118.
Danes's first film without her mother was shot in the Philippines this past winter. It was, she says, "utter hell to make. Manila is such a ghastly place."
- ^ Spines, Christine (October 1998). "Claire and Present Danger". Premiere. p. 66.
The shoot was plagued with malaria and hepatitis outbreaks, and had to be shut down for several sick days. "It was just so hard," Danes says, now comfortably ensconced at a Beverly Hills lunch joint, where she's gobbling up a plate of extra-rare ahi. "The place just fucking smelled of cockroaches. There's no sewage system in Manila, and people have nothing there. [We saw] people with, like, no arms, no legs, no eyes, no teeth. We shot in a real [psychiatric] hospital, so takes would be interrupted by wailing women--like, 'Cut! Screaming person.' Rats were everywhere."
- ^ a b "Brown hounded for calling Manila 'gates of hell'". timesnews.net. Kingsport Tgimes-News. Associated Press. May 24, 2013.
then-President Joseph Estrada banned Hollywood actress Claire Danes, who shot the movie "Brokedown Palace" in Manila, from entering the country
- ^ a b "Ghosts, liberated women and Morgan Freeman: the films banned for odd reasons". The Guardian. June 2, 2017.
refused to lift the ban – which as far as we can tell, remains in place
- ^ "Manila Is Mad At Claire Danes". CBS News. October 10, 1998. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
- ^ Catajan, Maria Elena (May 16, 2009). "Candy Pangilinan declared 'persona non grata' in Baguio". GMA News. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
- ^ Hegina, Aries Joseph (August 19, 2014). "Davao City declares Ramon Bautista as 'persona non grata' –report". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
- ^ ORNEDO, JULIA MARI (November 5, 2019). "GenSan declares Leah Navarro persona non grata over retribution tweet". GMA Network.
- ^ Malasig, Jeline (June 8, 2022). "Explained: Ai-Ai delas Alas, Darryl Yap as 'personae non gratae' in Quezon City". Interaksyon. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
- ^ "AiAi delas Alas camp condemns persona non grata QC resolution: It 'endangers protection granted by freedom of expression'". GMA News Online. June 8, 2022.
- ^ Sarao, Zacarian (June 7, 2022). "QC council declares Ai-Ai delas Alas, Darryl Yap 'persona non grata'". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
- ^ Purnell, Kristofer (June 8, 2022). "Ai-Ai Delas Alas, Darryl Yap declared persona non grata by Quezon City Council". The Philippine Star. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
- ^ Leo Udtohan (August 22, 2023). "Pura Luka Vega declared persona non grata in Bohol". INQUIRER.NET. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
- ^ Cecile Suerte Felipe (August 11, 2023). "Drag artist declared persona non grata in Bukidnon". The Philippine Star. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Pura Luka Vega persona non grata in Cebu, Dinagat, Occ. Mindoro". ABS-CBN News. August 17, 2023. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Pura Luka Vega declared persona non grata in Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Cagayan De Oro". GMA Integrated News. August 15, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
- ^ Flora, Ian (July 25, 2023). "'Ama Namin' drag performer persona non grata in Floridablaca". SunStar. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
- ^ Delfin T. Mallari Jr (August 23, 2023). "Lucena City declares Pura Luka Vega as 'persona non grata'". INQUIRER.NET. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
- ^ Mary Rose Sagarino (August 22, 2023). "Pura Luka Vega is also persona non grata in Mandaue". CDN INQUIRER.NET. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
- ^ Ong, Ghio (August 10, 2023). "Manila city council declares drag artist persona non grata". The Philippine Star. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ Llemit, Ralph Lawrence (July 22, 2023). "GenSan declares 'Ama Namin' drag performer persona non grata". SunStar. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
- ^ Ranara, John Patrick (August 3, 2023). "Negros Occidental town becomes third municipality to declare Pura Luka Vega as persona non grata". The Philippine Star. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
- ^ "Baguio City Council declares NEA Beneco supervisor as persona non grata". Rappler. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ "Benguet also declares NEA Beneco supervisor unwelcome". Rappler. November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
- ^ "Davao City declares Walden Bello persona non grata". RAPPLER. March 22, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
- ^ Formoso, Celeste Anna (August 16, 2023). "Kalayaan declares Chinese envoy persona non grata". Daily Tribune. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
- ^ Hallare, Katrina (December 11, 2020). "CPP-NPA-NDF members declared persona non grata in 1,546 LGUS — DILG". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
- ^ Arcilla, Gigie (January 28, 2021). "CPP-NPA-NDF not welcome in Mandaluyong City, 1,545 LGUs". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
- ^ "Manila city council declares Panday Sining 'persona non grata'". Rappler. December 6, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
- ^ "POC board declares Go Teng Kok persona non grata". Philippine Daily Inquirer. June 17, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ Satumbaga-Villar, Kristel (December 28, 2021). "POC declares athletics chief Philip Juico 'persona non grata'". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved January 25, 2022.