Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo on Friday revealed that an executive order from President Rodrigo Duterte is enough to enforce his instruction to require all Americans intending to come to the Philippines to apply and secure a visa if a ban from entry into United States territory will be enforced against Philippine officials involved in Senator Leila de Lima’s lawful imprisonment.

The Palace official clarified that a law is not necessary from carrying out his order should the United States government decide to ban Philippine officials from entering their country.

“The President will enforce it,” Panelo said. “That will be… mostly likely he will issue an Executive Order to that effect requiring all American citizens to secure visa.”

Panelo added that the President was very calm when he handed out the order, adding that Duterte will be forced to take action because the sovereign of the state is being trampled upon by another country.

“I can’t even understand why they consider the detention of Senator Leila de Lima wrongful, we have a process… so you are assailing the sovereignty of the state. And as head of state, you have no other recourse but to assert our sovereign authority,” Panelo said.

The Presidential spokesman also clarified that Duterte’s response was not a knee-jerk reaction on his part, noting that the decision is precisely to tell them that we are a sovereign state and they have no right to interfere with our judicial processes.

“No, it’s not a knee-jerk reaction. As I said, it’s a natural reaction of a head of state when the very sovereign authority of a state he heads is being assailed,” Panelo said. “The decision is precisely to tell them: Excuse me we are a sovereign state, do not interfere with our judicial process.”

“It’s not a threat. It’s a statement, a reminder to them we are no longer under their control,” he added.