Press Release
July 23, 2017

Duterte SONA nothing but a litany on killings and lies - De Lima

Senator Leila M. de Lima today expected that the second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte would be another record for fake news.

Speaking to reporters before her trial at the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court, De Lima said she expects nothing but lies and a litany justifying the extrajudicial killings, even as Duterte has gone beyond his self-imposed deadline.

"What will he brag about during the SONA? The killings? The lies?" she said. Let me remind him that he has already gone beyond his self-imposed three to six month deadline that he promised during his campaign," she said.

Duterte won under a platform of ending criminality within six months, yet asked for an extension of half a year, to solve crime. A year after assuming power, crimes still exist, as the Administration's war on illegal drugs yielded more murders.

De Lima had previously investigated Duterte during his days as Davao Mayor, questioning why extrajudicial killings in Davao remained unsolved during his term.

The Senator, a former Justice Secretary, also said that Duterte should put his money where his mouth is, as his promises continue to remain unfulfilled.

"The drugs are still there. It thrived once more in Bilibid. Why? Because they allowed these drug convicts to do their thing, in exchange for testifying against me. How about the true drug lords? Were there any arrests? How about those with corruption cases, didn't they release them?" she said.

"How about ENDO? How about the salaries of the police and military? How is the traffic? Have prices of basic commodities gone down? Has the peso's value increased? Why is the government allowing China to take over our territory in West Philippine Sea?" she added.

Like the fake news his supporters have continued to spread, De Lima only expects fake achievements from Duterte in his second SONA, such as her arrest on trumped-up drug charges.

The former Justice Secretary is currently detained on fabricated drug charges of the administration, which is rooted on her strong opposition to the President's war on illegal drugs, as well as his personal vendetta after she investigated him for his links to the Davao Death Squad.

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