THE US Senate has passed a resolution condemning the government of President Rodrigo R. Duterte for the wrongful detention of one of his staunchest critics, according to the US Congress website.

The chamber approved Resolution 142, sponsored by Senator Edward J. Markey, on Jan. 9 urging the Philippines to release Senator Leila M. de Lima and drop charges against Maria A. Ressa, founder of news website Rappler.

“Extrajudicial killings perpetrated by the government of the Philippines as part of a government-directed antidrug campaign present the foremost human rights challenge in the Philippines,” according to the resolution.

Drug-trafficking charges against Ms. de Lima “followed a history of criticizing extrajudicial killings in the Philippines and the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign,” it said.

The resolution also called on US President Donald J. Trump to impose sanctions against Philippine government officials behind extrajudicial killings in the drug war and people behind Ms. de Lima’s detention.

Meanwhile, US Senator Richard J. Durbin asked the Philippine government to stop threatening American travelers seeking to enter the Southeast Asian nation. He also renewed his call for Ms. de Lima’s release.

“There is an easy and honorable way forward — the Duterte regime should stop threatening the travel of Americans and so many others who travel between our nations,” he said in a privilege speech posted on the US Congress website.

Mr. Duterte last year ordered authorities to ban Mr. Durbin and Mr. Markey as well as Senator Patrick J. Leahy from the Philippines.

The US lawmakers were behind the US Senate resolution and an amendment to the US budget bill that denies US visas to Philippine government officials who supported Ms. de Lima’s detention.

“It was our little measure in that appropriation bill that led President Duterte to ban us from ever traveling to the Philippines,” Mr. Durbin said. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

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