Senator Leila de Lima held a brief press conference on Thursday morning, August 18, hailing President Rodrigo Duterte’s move to call her “immoral” as an abuse of his executive power.
On Wednesday, Duterte finally revealed her as the female government official he was set on destroying in public. He called her an “immoral woman” and accused her of having an affair with her driver, also accused of being involved with the illegal drug trade.
“Words cannot express what I am feeling right now. I guess no one can, because no one has ever been attacked in such a manner by no less than the highest official of the land, until now. How does one defend oneself, when the attacker is immune from suit, and has all the backing of executive power to support him in his personal attack?” she opened her official statement.
She pointed out how Duterte’s move is an abuse of his power as President.
“This is no less than abuse and misuse of executive power. I don’t think the Constitution has ever contemplated such abuse of power on such scale, as it assumes every President to conduct himself in a manner befitting the office he holds,” she added.
She also touched on how this might be Duterte’s way of stopping the Senate probe into extrajudicial killings, led by the Senate committee on justice and human rights she chairs.
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“If this is his way of stopping the Senate’s investigation on the extrajudicial killings, he can try until he finally silences me or the Senate. But I think it is already clear that what is being done to me is what will happen to anyone who does not bow to the wishes of the President. If stopping the Senate investigation is the only way for these personal attacks by the President and his men to also stop, believe me I have already thought about that,” de Lima said.
She added that just like everyone else, she also got hurt and worried about her family and loved ones, to the extent of considering backing out of the investigation into the killings, but she thought that doing so would be turning her back on herself and her principles.
“Tao lamang din po ako na nasasaktan, natatakot at nag-aalala rin para sa aking pamilya at mga mahal sa buhay. Kagalang-galang na Pangulo, Your Excellency, naisip ko na rin po na itigil ang imbestigasyon sa mga summary executions kung iyon ang gusto ninyo para lamang matigil ang mga personal na atake sa akin. Sumagi na rin po sa isipan ko na itigil ang imbestigasyon kapalit ng katahimikan sa aking buhay. Pero kapag ginawa ko po ito ay parang tinalikuran ko na rin ang sarili kong pagkatao, at itinatwa ang sarili kong mga paninindigan at paniniwala. Hindi na po ako ang tatayong kinatawan ng bayan sa Senado. Isang huwad na anyo ko na lamang ang tatayo doon. Para ko na rin pong ibinaon ang aking sariling pagkatao,” she continued.
De Lima said she is aware that the government is planning on filing charges against her and that she will be waiting for the right time to respond to those charges. That is, if Duterte’s government will give her the chance to defend herself.
She also said how she has received threats to stop criticizing Duterte’s way of governance, or she will be ruined.
“Matagal na po akong nakakatanggap ng mga impormasyon tungkol sa pag imbento ng mga ebidensya laban sa akin, at mga babala na sisiraan ako kung hindi ako tumigil sa tingin ninyong pagbatikos at pagpuna sa inyong pamamalakad,” the senator said.
De Lima appealed to Duterte to give her the opportunity to defend herself, adding that she is merely a senator while he is the president.
“Pangulo po kayo. Senador lamang po ako. Patas na laban lamang po ang aking hinihingi. Sana ay ibigigay ninyo sa akin ang ibinigay na rin naman ng batas at Konstitusyon sa kahit na kaninong naaakusahan sa ilalim ng ating sistemang pang-legal,” she added.
She also appealed to the President to spare her colleagues and family from his attacks.
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“If you are bent on destroying me, please have the decency to spare my colleagues, friends, and family. Wala po silang kasalanan sa inyo,” de Lima said.
The neophyte senator gave the assurance that she will be fair and just in conducting the Senate investigation into the extrajudicial killings in the government’s campaign against drugs.
“Sa kabila nito, makakaasa po kayo na magiging patas at makatwiran ang aming gagawing imbestigasyon sa mga nagaganap na mga pagpatay sa inyong giyera laban sa droga,” she said.
She added that the end goal of the probe would be a stronger law for curbing criminality without compromising the human rights of suspected or innocent citizens.
“Sisiguraduhin naming na ang magiging resulta nito ay ang pagpapalakas ng batas para sa pagsugo ng kriminalidad na hindi naisasantabi ang karapatang pantao ng mga napaghinalaan man, o ng mga inosente nating kababayan,” de Lima said.
The senator urged everyone to stop threatening and shaming people and restore the peace by following the law and respecting people.
“Tama na po ang pananakot at panghihiya. Bumalik na po tayo sa kaayusan na dulot ng pag-iiral ng batas at simpleng respeto sa kapwa tao,” de Lima said.
“I have always been loyal to my oath as a public servant. I am not the enemy here. Stop portraying me as one,” she added.
De Lima’s full statement can be read here.
Palace says Duterte ‘fully understands his power’
Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Duterte knows his executive power and does not reveal information to the public without basis.
“The President fully understands his power, the power of immunity. All the President is saying has basis and has vetting process,” Andanar said.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said that Duterte was also offended by de Lima’s allegations linking summary executions to the government’s campaign against drugs.
“Apparently, [Duterte] is appalled by Senator De Lima’s history for jumping to conclusions about the President’s culpability without sufficient evidence, lack of appreciation of the magnitude of menace, and taking the opportunity to grandstand, in spite of the gravity of the situation,” Abella said in a statement.
Andanar added that Duterte only responded to de Lima’s “negative comments.”
“It just so happened that the President holds such information [about de Lima]. And we all know the history between the President and Senator De Lima that they are really trading barbs,” Sun Star quoted Andanar.
Sources: (web.facebook.com, newsinfo.inquirer.net, sunstar.com.ph)
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