Former presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo slammed Canadian immigration authorities earlier this week for reportedly questioning former Philippine National Police chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. about the drug war of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

"While Canada has the authority to accept or reject visitors entering its territory, its immigration authorities cannot detain former PNP General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. and subject him to probing questions relative to the policy of our country on how we dealt with the drug menace and those who operated it," Panelo told DAILY TRIBUNE in a Viber message.

"Not only is that rude, it is a blatant and outrageous intrusion into the internal affairs of our country," he added.

Panelo said Canada had a habit of intruding into the internal affairs of the Philippines, saying that their head of state had made it an official policy of his government to intrude into another country's governance.

To recall, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had raised questions about former President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs at the Asian and Western nations summit in November 2017.

In reaction, Duterte slammed Trudeau for the impertinent intrusion into the domestic affairs of the Philippines, describing it as a personal and official insult to him and the country, according to Panelo.

"As correctly remarked by President Duterte, Canada's prime minister should 'lay off!' He should mind his own country's business," he said.

Azurin questioned

Panelo's statement came after reports emerged that Canadian immigration authorities had questioned Azurin on his arrival at Langley Airport in British Columbia last week.

The reports said Azurin was asked about details of the Duterte drug war and incumbent senators allied with the previous administration.

Reportedly, Azurin was not deported but opted to take a flight back to the Philippines to avoid further "harassment" by Canadian immigration authorities.

The Canadian government has yet to comment on the report.

'Misunderstanding, miscommunication'

During the deliberations on the Department of Foreign Affairs' 2024 budget last Wednesday, House Minority Leader Rep. Marcelino Libanan asked budget sponsor Nueva Ecija Rep. Joseph Violago about the reports that Canadian immigration had stopped Azurin.

Violago confirmed that Azurin had faced a problem but that the Canadian government had apologized for the "misunderstanding and miscommunication."

"The incident occurred a few days ago. General Azurin voluntarily went to Canada but suddenly returned to the country," Violago said.

"It seems there was a misunderstanding and misinterpretation of what happened, and the Canadian government expressed its regrets for the miscommunication," he added.

Spreading lies

Azurin refuted claims he had been deported. His statement released earlier this week focused primarily on his accusation that a former colleague, PNP Deputy Chief for Administration Police Lt. Gen. Rodel Sermonia, was responsible for spreading false information about him.

"Sermonia had been spreading lies about my alleged deportation. Maybe he knows something that everyone in our country does not know. Maybe he tipped off Canadian immigration by concocting half-truths and many lies, hoping that I would be deported. He has been sending messages about my deportation," Azurin said.

"I'm sorry, but that's not how it happened," he added.

Meanwhile, Sermonia, in a press briefing at Camp Crame Wednesday, said he had no idea why his name was being dragged into the controversy regarding the supposed deportation of Azurin.

"Former Chief PNP Azurin may have been fed false stories again to drag my name into the unverified reports of his alleged deportation. There is no reason for me to do what I am being accused of," he said.