Dispatch from Crame No. 477:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima on Duterte threatening to do more killings

3/1/19

Apparently, it takes only a mirror to get Duterte off his rockers.

After a video documenting his abuses and excesses circulated online and went viral, Duterte yet again engaged in another rantfest, this time before the League of Municipalities of the Philippines.

Reminded of the killings committed during his watch, rather than act as a human being and show remorse for the atrocities, he doubled down and threatened more killings.

If only these threats were just harmless blabberings from an old man. They're not.

In clear attempts to rid their dear President of accountability, his spokesperson and other defenders have twisted themselves silly trying to misinterpret or misrepresent his words; calling them as just products of his Visayan culture upbringing, mere hyperboles, retaliations, or even jokes.

What is clear though is that when the old man say "kill", more people die. No amount of spinning or sugarcoating will cover up that reality. He does not even need to put the order in writing. As soon as the media reports his threat to kill more people, more people end up dead. No person in his or her right mind would consider it a coincidence that the trail of deaths that would follow his words are from the hands of the police, who reports directly to him.

The police do not fear accountability for these deaths as well. Early on, Duterte has guaranteed that he will protect them from going to jail for following his orders. It was just reported that Duterte sycophant and incumbent Solicitor General Calida continues to refuse to release the documents relating to the War on Drugs, for investigation, inspite of a clear order from the Supreme Court to do so. We have not seen such a brazen contempt on our country's justice system since the time of their idol Ferdinand Marcos.

I call on my fellow public servants, from the judiciary, to the Cabinet secretaries, to my colleagues in Congress, to the men and women in uniformed services, to those serving in the barangays. Let us restore the rule of law. For the sake of our future generation, let us stop this insanity. We are a great nation inspite of him, not because of him. Let us restore the checks and balances, protect our democracy, and prevent our country from yet again falling into the dark shadows of tyranny. Never again.