Dispatch from Crame No. 811:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima on the Joint Statement Issued by Eight Business Groups, re: Double Standard in Implementing Community Quarantine Rules

6/3/20

Both timely and significant is the joint statement issued on May 31 by eight big business groups calling out this regime's double standard in enforcing the IATF rules, and expressing their disappointment and disbelief over the same.

I share their disgust in how this regime applies the law and quarantine rules differently. Towards the poor, who are the severely impacted by the pandemic, the Duterte law has little empathy and is merciless, but towards public officials and political allies, who continue to flaunt their nasty privileges and knowingly violate quarantine rules, the same law is compassionate and softhearted.

I thank them profusely for issuing their statement now, for siding with the people on this issue, for recognizing their sacrifices - even acknowledging the many cases of abuses or cruelty that the poor suffer at the hands of this regime, and for taking not only a legal but also a moral stand on this.

Na ang pagpatay kay Winston Ragos sa Fairview, ang pagmamalupit sa isang tindero ng gulay sa QC at ng isda sa Caloocan, pagkulong ng mga tao sa hawla ng aso sa Laguna, at marami pang kaso ng pag-abuso sa mahihirap at nasasantabi, ay mga buhay na karanasan para sa ating lahat anuman ang ating estado sa buhay.

We all relate with each other--in all aspects of life, including business and labor--on the basis of our human rights and our common need for the protection of the rule of law. That's why we should be horrified that even in this perilous time of a deadly pandemic, the Duterte regime can even afford to employ the same repugnant methods of violating these important rights and disregarding the supremacy of law.

May their coming out with such a statement be not just the first and the last when time calls for it, and more groups from the private sector be also emboldened to defend the rule of law and human rights, and demand accountability from this regime as they do their part. By doing that, they are also helping their workers and the ordinary Filipinos to survive this pandemic and regain hope for better days ahead.

To quote from their statement, in the context of this pandemic: "The sacrifice of our people deserves nothing less." I couldn't agree more. ###

(Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 811, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_no._811)