SEN. LEILA M. DE LIMA'S STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT DUTERTE'S
THREAT TO KILL HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS

Human rights must be defended strongly now more than ever. The latest statements of the President to the effect that he will be killing human rights activists soon and that he will pull out the country as a treaty party to the Rome Statute of the ICC are only some of the threats coming from him at present.

As President, Duterte's statements must be taken seriously. We cannot take these statements as mere jokes. Action must be taken to assure that the Government respects and abides by the human rights of everyone. We must defend those who defend human rights in this country and oppose all initiatives and actions that would make international accountability for HR violations and and abuses difficult.

President Duterte must not be allowed to kill human rights activists and absolve himself of their murder by pulling out of the ICC. His impunity, both in words and actions, must be put to a stop and end soon. There is no other way to do this but to continue to fight for what is right, and to defeat the great evil that now pervades in this country.