Press Release
February 12, 2019

Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Mayor Sara Duterte's latest remarks

I would like to thank Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte for once again taking the trouble to share her opinion about my work on democracy and human rights. Every time she attacks me, she validates my work and vindicates my positions on important issues. Every insult from the Mayor is a reading on the barometer I can use, second to none, to confirm how effective my office is in advancing democratic interests and goals. Sa bawat banat niya, nalalaman natin na tama ang ating ginagawa.

The last time Mayor Sara had something to say about me, she ridiculed my opposition to the lowering of the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility (MACR), even kindly "advising" me to walk the streets to "know the reality on the ground." Excuse me, I started my work life as a community organizer among farmers and fisherfolk 30 years ago in Rizal Province. And unfortunately for the good Mayor, the recent Social Weather Station (SWS) survey showed that the majority of Filipinos oppose the lowering of the MACR. How's that for a reality check? Pardon my French, but I'm not the one with my head in my ass.

Yesterday, in her defense of Persida Acosta, Mayor Sara asked for my resignation. She also said that I should provide "solutions" and not merely criticize.

First, calling for Acosta's resignation is part of the solution. Acosta's resignation would remove the pseudo-science, fear-mongering and lies that hijacked the Dengvaxia discourse. It would help ensure an impartial investigation of the issue, end speculations that the matter is being politicized and prevent further panic and fear from being inflicted on the public. For someone who is supposedly against incompetence, the Mayor is surprisingly hostile to my call.

Second, it is saddening that Mayor Sara can call for my resignation but not of those who have condoned the killing of tens of thousands, those who have eroded public trust in the government's vaccination program, those who have plundered the nation's coffers, those who have surrendered our sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea and those who have collaborated with the Marcoses in revising history. What's keeping Mayor Sara from going after these people who are the real dangers to our nation and society?

As for solutions, my legislative track record speaks for itself. From the Mental Health Law, the Expanded Maternity Leave Law, the Strengthened Anti-hospital Deposit Law, the Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act, the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy law, the First 1000 Days Law up to the Positive Discipline Act, we have done the hard work. We have delivered. We do this even as we continue to add our voice of dissent to hold this government to account and defend democracy.

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