Filipinos do not deserve the Duterte gov't - De Lima

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima expressed her solidarity with fellow human rights advocates and members of progressive groups in their push to denounce the government's malevolent policies through the nationwide "SONagkaisa" protests slated before and during Mr. Duterte's State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on July 27.

In her message read by her Chief of Staff Atty. Fhillip Sawali during the #SONAgkaisa press conference last July 17, De Lima maintained that Filipinos do not deserve the present Duterte government as it is oblivious to the needs and well-being of its people.

"LET THE RECKONING BEGIN NOW! Stop this vindictive, murderous, power-hungry, morally-bankrupt and abusive regime from further inflicting sufferings on Filipinos!" she said.

"We cannot allow our country, a cradle of democracy, to fully become a pathocracy ruled by a psychopathic leader," she added.

De Lima, the first prominent political prisoner under the Duterte regime, said Filipinos are already tired of Duterte's failure to deliver because he always values his caprices over the common good.

"Ginoong Duterte: Kung bukambibig mong pagod ka na bilang Pangulo, kahit hindi ka naman nagtatrabaho, puwes, mas pagod na kami sa pamumuno mo!" she said.

As such, the lady Senator from Bicol maintained that the public should exert concerted effort in demanding the government to properly address the health, livelihood and human rights issues in country and improve the plight of Filipinos.

"Kung patatagalin pa ang paniningil, ilang libo pang maralita ang papatayin? Ilan pang inosente, mamamahayag at tagapagtanggol ng karapatang pantao ang ipakukulong? Ilan pang media ang ipasasara? Ilan pang matinong pinuno ang patatalsikin para sa kanilang pansariling interes?" she asked.

"Ang nagkakaisa nating panawagan: Kalusugan, kabuhayan at karapatang pantao ang dapat tutukan ng gobyerno, lalo na ngayong pandemya; hindi kapritso ng isang tao. Hindi takot, dahas at kapabayaan," she added.

The personalities who also expressed their support and participation to the protest include Senator Kiko Pangilinan, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Dean Tony La Viña, Bro. Armin Luistro, former Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Etta Rosales, former Social Welfare and Development Sec. Dinky Soliman, and Sr. Mary John Mananzan, to name some.