Duterte links Roxas, de Lima to old CoA-flagged reports

President Rodrigo Duterte has accused former Interior secretary Manuel 'Mar' Roxas 2nd and former Justice secretary and now Sen. Leila de Lima of stealing public funds, citing the Commission on Audit's (CoA) previous findings that flagged millions to billions of supposedly unliquidated funds. In his prerecorded public address, Duterte said CoA, in its past audit findings, had also flagged the Department of Justice (DoJ) then under de Lima for its unliquidated cash advances in 2013.

August

2021

Leila de Lima: Top Duterte critic arrested on drug charge

A leading critic of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Leila de Lima, has been arrested on drug trafficking charges.Senator Leila de Lima is accused of receiving money from detained drug lords. She has insisted on her innocence and says the charges are an attempt to silence her criticism of Mr Duterte's war against drugs.

February

2017

No one is surprised that the President would hide the grisly records of his drug war under the cover of national security, not only because it was convenient for him but also because he and his government have much to hide. Not to mention he has a penchant for bravado and is a chronic liar.

June

2021

 I think Philippine society is not yet ready for same-sex marriage, much as we respect their rights and we must protect them. Maybe we can instead consider civil unions in terms of property rights, contractual rights. Also to protect them. Couples are living together, they have built their lives together and therefore, kailangan ding protektahan 'yung mga (we also need to protect the) consequences of living together.

February

2016

[H]indi matatawaran ang ambag ng ABS-CBN sa sining, kalinangan at kasiyahan ng mga Pilipino saan mang panig ng mundo. Kitang-kita at damang-dama ito sa malaking tiwalang ibinibigay ng mga manonood ng ABS-CBN, at sa yumayabong na kulturang Pilipino na patuloy na pinayayaman ng mga programa nito.

February

2020

Nananawagan ako sa aking mga kapwa mambabatas: Huwag nilang hayaang maging kasangkapanng muli ng isang diktador. Hindi lang ito tungkol sa pagpapatigil ng operasyon ng ABS-CBN. Tungkol ito sa pagpigil sa malayang pamamahayag, pagsiil sa ating mga karapatan, at pagkitil sa ating demokrasya.

December

2019

To insist on taking up the proposed measure at this time is the height of insensitivity and foolhardiness. If anything, this proposal by Mr. Duterte to revive the death penalty debate betrays his utter lack of resolve in solving this COVID-19 crisis.

August

2020

To impose death penalty at a time when the Philippine justice system is still plagued by perceived corruption and inefficiency will open our country to irreversible errors and the possibility of executing innocent citizens.

July

2019

It's stupefying to note that our health authorities seem to be downplaying, if not actually scoffing at, the idea of mass testing. The DOH Secretary himself was quoted as saying: "Do we have to test each and every Filipino? That's 104 million. I think no country would be able to do mass testing to the extent of the population of the [Philippines]. Of course we know that, Mr. Secretary. When we push for mass testing, we are not asking you to test each and everyone of us. That would be colossal stupidity! We are not asking for the moon. Mass testing entails the focused and strategic targeting or identification of the segments of the populace, the sectors and communities that need immediate testing. These include the PUIs and PUMs, the elderly, the sick or sickly, those with underlying illnesses or pre-existing conditions, or the vulnerables and high-risks, particularly in high-density areas. You prioritize them, en masse or in substantial numbers, in proportion to existing and projected capacities, then move on to cover more clusters and areas as capacities improve. Planado, desidido at aktibong pagkilos po ang ating lubhang kailangan sa ngayon. Fast track all needed processes -- procurement of testing kits and other related equipment; immediate assessment and accreditation of available testing kits, related equipment and facilities, whether procured or donated; distribution to available facilities; and deployment of needed manpower -- to improve capacities. Aren't all these commonsensical? My goodness!

March

2020

Paano maituturing na kaibigan ang bansang patuloy na sumasakop sa ating teritoryo, ninanakawan ng kabuhayan at ginigipit ang ating mangingisda, at paulit-ulit na binabantaan ang mga kapwa natin Pilipino (How can we treat a country that continues to invade our territory, rob our fishermen of livelihood and threaten our fellow Filipinos as a friend)?

June

2021

Recently, instead of de-escalating brewing tensions in international waters, Duterte?s Beijing friends sent more ships to our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), further robbing our fishermen of their livelihood, destroying our marine resources and negatively impacting our economy.

June

2021

In order for the State to fulfill its mandate of protecting and upholding Philippine sovereignty, it is imperative that the government exhaust any and all legal remedies, including invoking the 2016 PCA (Permanent Court of Arbitration) ruling, in order to be more forceful in asserting our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea."

April

2021

A law that seeks to protect the nation must lessen our fears, not add to it. Mas higit ang nailuwal na takot ng batas na ito kaysa sa pakiramdam ng kaligtasan na dapat taglay ng ating mga batas. Sa sobrang lawak nito, kahit sino ay maaaring tatakang terorista bagamat ginagamit lamang nila ang boses at kalayaang magsalita na ginagarantiya ng ating Konstitusyon.

April

2021

There is a clear pattern emerging that the PNP's efforts against communist insurgency is directed towards professionals who are related to activist and progressive groups even without any proof of any crime committed by said professionals, much less of any wrongdoings. "The professionals being targeted, from lawyers, to judges, to teachers are lawfully exercising their professions, many of them serving our country in government posts."

March

2021

[The PNP's] blatant red-tagging of activists is an attack on the very foundations of our democracy and constitutes a grave abuse of authority and misappropriation of public funds. The current political climate makes these instances of Red-tagging even more dangerous given the anticipated signing of the antiterrorism bill into law.

June

2020

The Pharmally investigation has gone this far for us to discover that the crime did not only result in figuratively killing the people by way of plundering public funds during a pandemic, but also literally when expired face shields were delivered for the use of our healthcare workers. We should not stop until all those responsible for this plunder which cost lives are brought to justice. If only for this one time, we should not falter in seeking merciless retribution against these sociopaths at the PS-DBM and Pharmally who stole from our countrymen and killed our healthcare workers in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

September

2021

This regime is scared witless of the hope that these community efforts have sparked amid a pandemic. Takot na takot sa sariling multo kaya kailangang pakilusin ang kanyang kapulisan upang mapigilan ang tuluyang paglalantad sa kanilang kapalpakan. Kailangang kagyat na paimbestigahan ang mga insidente ng panggigipit na ito at panagutin ang mga may sala. Let us stand behind Ana Patricia Non and organizers like her. Defend our community pantries. Resist the regime's attempt to deprive people of the right to live a life with dignity, especially amid a life-threatening crisis. Itaguyod ang pagdadamayan at tunay na bayanihan.

April

2021

In order for the State to fulfill its mandate of protecting and upholding Philippine sovereignty, it is imperative that the government exhaust any and all legal remedies, including invoking the 2016 PCA (Permanent Court of Arbitration) ruling, in order to be more forceful in asserting our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.

April

2021

I am against terrorism. It is an evil that all of us should oppose with all our might. But vile as it is, there is simply a line that we should not cross. The fight against terrorism should not lead us to grant the government the power to abuse our human rights and civil liberties. Our weapon against terrorists cannot be a weapon against our citizens.

March

2020

The war against terrorism requires unrelenting efforts not only to locate and neutralize terrorist elements but also to improve the lives of our countrymen who are living in poverty and as such are vulnerable to the influence of these malevolent forces. The war against terrorism requires unrelenting efforts not only to locate and neutralize terrorist elements but also to improve the lives of our countrymen who are living in poverty and as such are vulnerable to the influence of these malevolent forces.

March

2020

The latest COA findings reveal that the lackluster performance of this government in its pandemic response is to blame for the challenges we encountered. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Malinaw sa ulat ng COA na bukod sa malaking pera ang hindi nagastos at natengga, yung bilyon-bilyong pisong ginastos naman nila ang hitik sa iregularidad at hindi ginamit nang naaayon sa batas. Just when we thought that the 15B PhilHealth scandal could not get any worse. Are we even surprised at this point? Malayo sana ang mararating ng 67 billion: benepisyo sa mga bayaning health care workers, kagamitan para sa mas maayos na tugon sa mga COVID patients at ayuda sa nawalan ng trabaho, pagkain para sa mga kumakalam ang sikmura, assistance para sa mga estudyante, at marami pang iba.

August

2021

As we commemorate the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, we do not just recall the atrocities under the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, we also express our continued condemnation of a tyrannical regime that has plundered our nation; we seek justice for the victims of torture, enforced disappearances, and murder at the hands of an ignominious leader. Pagbabalik-tanaw. Paggunita. Pagsariwa. Pag-alala. Paulit-ulit natin itong gagawin upang hindi makalimot.... Ang ating sama-samang panawagan: Tama na, Duterte, sobra ka na!

September

2020

The Philippines which is a signatory to the Paris agreement stands to benefit more from honoring our commitment to this international agreement not only in terms of financial aid but also on technology-transfer and capacity-building assistance for disaster mitigation. "As head of state, President Duterte should honor the Paris agreement if we also want other countries to rally behind us in our monumental victory in the West Philippine Sea arbitration case."

July

2016

Christmas parties and other gatherings are part of the joys of celebrating Yuletide season, but organizing festive events should remind us to consider eco-friendly alternatives in our get-togethers, especially since using single-use plastics, from straws to plastic cups to stirrers, sounds tempting for its convenience. With more parties coming as Christmas draws near, let's all 'give love' to our environment by ditching all single-use plastics in our events and parties and instead opt for greener alternatives, such as reusable items, including those that are already available at your venues.

December

2019

Rather than paint a dire picture of the elections being postponed, Comelec should instead do its best under the circumstances. It should do what it has always done in past elections, buckle down and conduct clean and honest elections. There are measures within the law that the Comelec can use to address their concerns (that the paper receipts may be used for vote-buying). The integrity of our democracy is at stake in this year's elections. It is the basic foundation of meaningful participation of citizens.

March

2016

The State is duty-bound to protect the lives and livelihood of its citizens and uphold existing environmental laws and policies over any and all transactions and contracts it has entered into with individuals and entities concerning these environmentally critical areas (ECAs). Activities which tend to negatively impact and destroy the environment must always be preceded by meticulous assessment of their consequences. Environmental impact studies should also be conducted to aid both the public and private sectors in chartering the course of the activities that involve and affect the environment.

October

2021

That Malampaya is crucial to our national interest is an understatement. Our country relies heavily on the energy production of Malampaya as well as the revenue it generates. Equally as important as its location in the West Philippine Sea where China is slowly creeping into our territorial waters and exclusive economic zone. There is absolutely no reason why we should entrust Malampaya to Udenna and UC Malampaya. They have neither the resources nor expertise to run the operation and conduct further exploration. And worse, they have a history of partnering up with China-owned companies who continue to dispute our legally-established rights over the West Philippine Sea.

December

2021

Contrary to Presidential Spokesperson Roque claims that white sand makeover will give immeasurable benefit to Filipinos' mental health, this P389 million band-aid project has indeed brought more harm than good. Contrary to Presidential Spokesperson Roque claims that white sand makeover will give immeasurable benefit to Filipinos' mental health, this P389 million band-aid project has indeed brought more harm than good.

October

2020

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. There is no clearer manifestation of this phenomenon than in the Philippines' political dynasties spread over every region and every province.

October

2018

The prevalence of impunity and lack of accountability enabled by Duterte has further engendered the culture on which political dynasties thrive, including the thirst for monopoly of power and dominance in patronage politics. It is therefore no wonder why other political families would follow suit in this showcase of avarice for political power.

October

2018

The wisdom of our Constitutional framers in erecting high walls of protection for the Constitution against reptilian politicians has been guiding us. But it is our duty to always show up to defend the Charter every time there is an attempt to undermine it by despots like Duterte. Ngayon, binubuhay na naman nila ang ang Cha-Cha. But this time, they try a different tack--economic. Sinusubukan nila ang economic Cha-Cha sa pag-aakalang wala ritong masyadong aalma. Nagkakamali sila.

February

2021

https://legacy.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2021/0205_delima2.asp

What happens to regions who are as not as agriculturally gifted as the others? They could be left behind, slowly rotting away into their demise, without a central government to ensure their rise. Hostilities among ethnic groups could worsen if the national government would no longer be an omnipresent force to neutralize the situation. Political Dynasties whose vigor will be fortified by the impunity that devolution provides, would flourish as they rob the poor of services and benefits that rightfully belong to them.

October

2018

The chance to get vaccinated means so much more to the poor who have to go out every day to earn a living compared to the rich and affluent who can opt to wait out the virus in their homes. Why would they hesitate? Hindi pamimilit ang paraan para mabakunahan ang mga kababayan natin na nag-aalangan magpabakuna. Sa totoo lang, yung kalokohan ni Duterte at ng PSG ang nagsimula ng problema. Sa paggiit nila na mas mabuti yung smuggled na bakuna nila kaysa sa mga tried and tested na brand, bumaba ang kumpiyansa ng kanyang tagasuporta sa bakuna.

May

2021

Maraming 'doubts in labor law', mga butas ng batas at mga patakaran na ginagamit upang apihin ang mga api na. Higit na marami ang 'doubts in a worker's life', mga kakulangan sa aktwal na sitwasyon ng mga manggagawa ukol sa kanyang relasyon sa kapwa manggagawa, sa kanyang employer at sa gobyerno. Napapanahon sa sanlaksang mga duda o problemang ito ang mga usapin ng "Endo" at kontratwalisasyon na may epekto sa, at naapektuhan din ng mga pundamental na usapin ng mga manggagawa; seguridad sa hanapbuhay, sapat na sweldo, at mga karapatan sa pag-oorganisa at pakikipag-negosasyon sa employer.

May

2018

I welcome with a very glad heart the decision of the Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court ordering the start of the preliminary investigation on Rodrigo Duterte (aka 'Digong' and 'Meyor') and Ronaldo Dela Rosa (aka 'Bato'), and other security law enforcement officials of the Philippine government, particularly those also involved with the Davao Death Squad from November 2011 to July 2016, for the killings committed in Duterte's drug war.

September

2021

Accountability of public officers is deemed so critical in our system of government, that our Constitution devotes an entire Article on it, consisting of 18 Sections. It is just the first step. A lot more is expected after that. The solution to an official refusing to disclose his SALN is, therefore, simple. Get out of government. Government does not need officials hiding their wealth from the people.

September

2021

The Comelec should realize that now, more than ever, organized debates among national candidates are important to expose the lies and fake credentials being peddled in social media by unscrupulous candidates. In the age of fake news and historical revisionism, those with a record of dishonesty, corruption or incompetence, and who have come to rely on the short memories of the Filipinos to forget, should not be allowed to succeed.

May

2019

Sumasang-ayon po ako sa inyo na isa sa pinakamatinding naaapektuhan ng nagaganap na digmaan ay kayong mga kapatid nating katutubo. Kayo na unang nabibiktima ng mga pag-abuso at mga paglabag sa karapatang pantao na dulot ng gyerang ito. Kayrami na pong nasaktan at inagawan ng buhay mula sa inyong hanay,.

October

2018

There is a growing body of evidence of the harmful effects and negative impacts that reclamation projects can have on not only the environment but also the affected communities and surrounding ecosystem. Yet the government is insistent on its widespread implementation under the promise of economic development. Congress, in exercise of its oversight powers, must immediately conduct an investigation on the processes undertaken by local government units in approving these reclamation projects and determine their compliance with existing environmental laws and regulations.

December

2021

Manufacturing fake news and trolling the ‘woke’ netizens are just as destructive during ordinary days. But to ramp up such despicable operations during national emergencies and public health crisis is beyond evil. Habang nagdurusa ang ating mga kababayan sa sakit, gutom at pangambang dala ng COVID-19 dahil sa kakulangan ng tulong mula sa gobyernong nacional, nasisikmura ba ninyo ang paggawa at pagpapakalat ng mga pekeng kuwento laban sa mga taong tumutulong at nagbibigay serbisyo?

March

2020

The goals of the proposed measure are laudable and seemingly adaptive to the technological advancements of the new century, which is why, in principle, I have no objections to the proposed bill on SIM card registration, for as long as the intrusions on individual privacy it entails are narrowly tailored to achieve that goal. However, if the measures go beyond achieving ownership registration, as is now effectively implemented among post-paid subscribers, then it becomes less of a safeguard for public interest, and more of an opportunistic measure taken by a government to impose a surveillance state on its citizenry.

December

2021

Kung ako ang tatanungin, the Task Force’s budget should be brought to zero. Napupunta lang naman sa red-tagging at witchhunt. Defund the NTF-ELCAC and realign its budget to the pandemic response, and social amelioration programs, such as the 4Ps. Ni isang kusing ay hindi dapat ipagkaloob sa isang ahensyang sa halip na magtaguyod ng kaayusan at kapayapaan sa mga komunidad, ay siya pang nagiging kasangkapan sa paglaganap ng kultura ng takot at dahas, at pasimuno pa ng mga paratang na walang batayan.

November

2021

No nation that upholds the values enshrined in the UN Charter and that calls for an international rules-based regime should remain standing on the sidelines while a powerful nation rolls its tanks into, and bombs the cities of a weaker one. The Russian army should withdraw from Ukraine immediately and leave its people in peace. Ukraine is no longer part of Russia, and longs for its own future as a sovereign nation in its own right. No country can stop another from choosing its own path.

March

2022

These sexual predators have thrived in this pandemic for far too long at the expense of the innocence and purity of our children. A full investigation must thus be carried out where all those who contribute to the growing trend including online platforms that allow them to proliferate or condone their proliferation by acquiescence, are prosecuted.

June

2021

Duterte's leadership, or the lack of it, is a never-ending crisis. Walang palya at walang hangganan ang kapalpakan. More than a year into the pandemic, and at the tail-end of Duterte's term, there is still no clear improvement in the country's poverty situation. Sa tinatayang P4.2 milyon na pamilyang nagugutom nitong nakaraang tatlong buwan, may ilalala pa ba ang administrasyong ito? Patuloy ang pagdurusa ng sambayanang Pilipino dahil sa kawalan ng maayos na ayuda, konkretong aksyon sa nakakaalarmang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin, at batugang pamamahala ng pangulo na wala man lang komprehensibong plano kung paano matutugunan ang mga pangunahing pangangailagan. With only eleven months of Duterte at the helm of a sinking economy, you'd think they'd now put their game faces on to seriously tackle the issues. Instead, the government continues to have an inutile for a head and kowtowers and yes-men instead of leaders - all worked up with premature campaigning. His cohorts are busy politicking, while Duterte himself contemplates running for VP. Pagpapanatili sa kapangyarihan na lang ang nasa tuktok ng kanilang prayoridad. Bahala na kung ilan milyon pa ang magutom at mawalan ng trabaho. The COVID-19 pandemic did more than take away loved ones and livelihood. It also unraveled the incompetent government we have all exhaustingly endured for years. And we must remember this come elections: instead of stepping up and offering competent public service that we deserve, this government went on a debt spree that lined the pockets of those in power so deep that they have more than enough for a well-oiled campaign machinery for themselves. What should have been reason enough for them to do good and do more was turned into an opportunity to plaster the streets with their faces. All at the expense of the Filipino people. Buhay, kabuhayan, at pangarap ang ninakaw nila sa ating mga kababayan. We've been pushing for cash assistance and livelihood since last year but this government's priorities remain questionable. How can it underspend on social welfare programs? How can funds revert back to the treasury when millions sleep with empty stomachs every night? And they want six more years of this?"

July

2021

Sen. Leila M. de Lima On Duterte's Legacy of Hunger