Dispatch from Crame No. 1086:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Statement on Duterte Becoming VP

The only reason why the Filipino people will vote Duterte for Vice President in 2022 is for his entertainment value. Filipinos are very fond of comedians.

They think politics is a cheap kind of entertainment, the same sort provided by Duterte, not knowing it is at their expense. They forget we pay the salaries and perks of office of these incompetent clowns with our taxes. So another six years of Duterte the clown this time as VP will be another expensive six-year franchise we have to pay for in case Duterte, God forbid, does indeed become VP.

For Duterte, on the other hand, becoming VP means another free pass at making fun of public office, while not accomplishing anything substantial at all. Like a retiring showbiz star, Duterte is probably scared of the anonymity of private life, and would therefore want to stay in the political limelight until the day he kicks the bucket.

But more than that, it is really for another six years of being an official who, albeit not immune, can only be removed by impeachment. He thinks he can escape the ICC and accountability for his crimes against humanity by becoming a VP this time.

Fat chance. The ICC does not recognize either immunity or impeachability in going after criminals. Its jurisdiction is comprehensive in that way. So if impeachability does not protect Duterte from the ICC, why still bother to even become VP? He is still going to be arrested and dragged in chains to The Hague anyway.

A word of advice then to Duterte if he cares to listen. Why not enter showbiz na lang. Marami pa ring tatangkilik sa kanya at sa kanyang komedya. Maybe all for the best, since no comedian ever had the power to order the killing of thousands of human beings. We still get the comedy, but this time without the bloodbath. Everybody wins.

(Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 1086, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatchno1086)