Dispatch from Crame No. 1,053:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima on Demanding justice for COVID Deaths

4/5/21

Nakakakilabot mabasa ang iba't ibang kuwento ng mga kababayan nating hindi man lang nabigyan ng angkop na lunas dahil puno na ang mga ospital. Hindi sila basta numero. Totoong tao, totoong buhay, totoong pamilyang naulila at nagdurusa. At bawat araw, parami nang parami rin ang mga mahal sa buhay nating tinatamaan ng virus, at nalalagay sa peligro ang buhay.

We ought to seek justice for all the Filipino lives lost due to this administration's deplorable incompetence, negligence and botched pandemic response.

We all know we could have done better if the so-called "leaders" we have were only prudent enough to act swiftly, were only committed enough to put a premium on the lives of Filipinos over their "friendly ties" with China, and were only conscientious enough to learn from and adopt the best practices that our neighbors have utilized to manage the spread of the virus.

Nakalulungkot isipin na maraming buhay sana ang nailigtas kung naging mabilis at maagap ang pagtugon sa pandemya, kung nakinig tayo sa mga totoong eksperto at ipinairal ang solusyong medikal hindi militar.

As usual, sa iba ibinunton ang sisi: Kasalanan ng lahat maliban sa gobyerno. Kasalanan daw ng variant kaya dumadami ang kaso. Kasalanan daw ng mamamayang pasaway na labas nang labas. Kasalanan daw ng mayayaman na bansang nagdadamot ng bakuna. Remind us again who decided to open up the economy without an effective testing, tracing and treatment system in place? Or who "dropped the ball" in the vaccine negotiations? Or who downplayed the threat of the virus way back in February last year?

Mahigit isang taon na tayong nagdurusa sa pandemya pero ang tanging solusyon ng gobyerno ay LOCKDOWN. Walang katapusang lockdown.

We're a year into the pandemic with nothing to show for it aside from a crumbling economy and a healthcare system on the brink of total collapse. We're worse off than where we were a year ago. If the Duterte regime still insists that they are doing an excellent job, then they truly are delusional and unfit to hold office.

We deserve better! The day of reckoning will come. Justice will be served. Panagutin ang mga palpak at pabaya sa tungkulin! ###

(Access the handwritten version, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_1053)