Dispatch from Crame 1132:
Sen. Leila M. De Lima Statement On Duterte's Acceptance of VP Nomination

Seriously?

In the latest attempt at distraction by the Duterte camp, they went ahead and announced that Duterte had accepted the nomination as Vice President candidate by the Cusi faction of the PDP-Laban.

They said that Duterte "agreed to make the sacrifice and heed the clamor of the people."

Seriously? Does he really dare call this attempt to cling to power a "sacrifice"?

We are in the midst of the worst pandemic surge. The real meaning of sacrifice is in real Filipinos who are making real sacrifices to survive and feed their families.

More and more people are infected with the virus everyday and our economy is plunging yet again with many sectors at the brink of a long-term, or even permanent, collapse.

The clamor of the people is for better leadership, a definite plan to fight off the COVID-19 pandemic, and a clear roadmap to economic recovery. It definitely does not include having an old, useless, and lazy trapo running for another office and rendering that position virtually useless. The sacrifice our people ask of him is resignation.

Kung totoong handa siyang magsakripisyo para sa mga tao at dinggin ang kanilang mga hinaing, dapat na siya magretiro. Napakaraming pagkakataon para labanan ang COVID-19 ang nasayang dahil sa kapabayaan at kapalpakan nila ni Duque. Halos buong gobyerno niya ay nahanapan ng napakaraming irregularidad ng COA sa pangunguna ng DOH na bilyon-bilyong pondo ang kailangang ipaliwanag.

Duterte running again is just another cheap story that they are using to distract us from the issues that matter to Filipinos right now.

Hindi nga tayo mapagsilbihan ni Duterte ng maayos bilang Presidente, paano pa kaya siya bilang Bise?

Any presidential candidate who will take Duterte as his/her running mate will be an admitted puppet to this wannabe dictator. Seriously, why should we elect a Duterte puppet?

The next VP will follow who is perhaps the greatest VP in Philippine history. VP Leni did more for our country in that Office than any of her predecessors. The next VP should be held at the same lofty standards.

So as far as the old Duterte declaring his candidacy for VP, our country has more important things to pay attention to. Seriously, Duterte, get real. Do Filipinos a favor and get lost.

(Access the handwritten version here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_from_crame_no._1132 )