Press Release
May 30, 2020

Dispatch from Crame No. 809:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima on Duterte's announcement that China will be the first to produce an anti-COVID vaccine

5/30/20

Duterte is doing his job excellently. As China's lackey, that is. And as its most devious salesman, even going to the extent of attempting to condition us to pin our hopes of survival on a still non-existent vaccine that will be China-made, regardless of quality, efficacy or costs. Hinarang na nya agad ang iba pang posibleng suppliers ng gamot katulad ng Japan, US, o iba pang bansa sa Europa. Since day 1, we have heard nothing but "unless there is a vaccine" plus China.

Tama ang maghangad ng lunas sa isang nakamamatay na sakit, but for one to even hint on helping China monopolize the production and supply is tantamount to a death sentence for all of us. Mula teritoryo, pati kaluluwa, binenta na ni Duterte sa kanyang BFF! Is he also offering us as guinea pigs to the vaccine trials?

Umasa ba ang Vietnam at Taiwan sa kumpas ng ibang bansa? Hindi. Inuna at pinangibabaw nila ang kapakanan ng kanilang mamamayan. They're not lapdogs of any foreign master, that's why.

Pilit tayong pinapaasa sa isang relasyong hindi naman natin maasahan. It is a one-sided and abusive relationship that is putting our country in a grossly disadvantageous position. Kung sabagay, tiniyak na naman ito ni Duterte noong isantabi niya ang ating pagkapanalo sa The Hague kapalit ng habang panahong pagkalubog sa mga pautang ng Tsina. At ngayon, "bahala na" ang kanyang laging sagot sa kaligtasan ng kapwa niya Pilipino habang pasasa naman sa trabaho, bisyo, sariling ospital, at pansariling gamit medikal ang mga Tsino sa mga pasugalang kinokonsente niya sa atin mismong bayan.

Worst of all, while the world is being ravaged by the virus that came from China, that country is intensifying its claim on the West Philippine Sea; ensnaring countries into debt traps with their national assets as collaterals; and providing international organizations like the WHO with millions of dollars as support in its attempt to "buy" influence in the world public health market. And we are right here, smack in the middle of all these Chinese slyness and maneuverings, no thanks to Duterte who once promised to defend our sovereignty with his life.

(Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 805 here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_809)

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