Detained Senator Leila de Lima on Tuesday said in a statement that the
Philippine democracy seemed to be dying as President Rodrigo Duterte and his
“lackeys” prepare to replace the current system with an authoritarian one
through charter change.
Moreover, she expressed fears that 2018 might be the year the
Philippines, under the Duterte administration, will shift from a democracy to a
“constitutional authoritarianism.”
 |
Via
commons.wikimedia.org
|
“I would like to be optimistic about the new year. But I cannot, since
2018 appears to be the year when our constitutional democracy is replaced with
constitutional authoritarianism, a throwback to 1972 when Ferdinand Marcos
legitimized dictatorship in the Philippines through a new constitution,” she
said in a statement.
“Duterte seems bent on keeping himself and his allies in power
indefinitely, beyond the present constitutional limits,” she said.
De Lima cited the current impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice
Maria Lourdes Sereno, and the planned impeachment of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio
Morales as anti-democratic actions that are supposedly part of the groundwork
for the administration’s “authoritarian project.”
 |
Via
pinterest.com
|
De Lima further criticized how the government seemed to be
“experimenting” on Mindanao with the extension of martial law in the area by
another year.
“At the same time, despite martial law and the constitutional
authoritarianism project, revolutionary government continues to be floated as
an option, and an open invitation remains for the military to support Duterte
as the absolute power in this so-called revolution,” De Lima said.
 |
Via
gmanetwork.com
|
De Lima also slammed the appointment of what she described as a
“discredited ally,” former Customs chief Nicanor Faeldon to the Office of Civil
Defense, and “shady character” such as Sandra Cam to the Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
“All these indicate the regime’s bravura that it will never be held accountable because it intends to be in power forever. To assure this, Duterte and his lackeys are preparing to replace our democratic system with an authoritarian one,” De Lima said.
“All these indicate the regime’s bravura that it will never be held accountable because it intends to be in power forever. To assure this, Duterte and his lackeys are preparing to replace our democratic system with an authoritarian one,” De Lima said.
“We are living in perilous times. Philippine society has never been so
polarized. Our democracy is dying,” she added.
 |
Via cnnphilippines.com
|
As for herself, De Lima said she doesn’t see herself being released from
detention anytime soon.
“I am now resigned to the fact that for as long as this vindictive President remains in power, freedom from this most unjust detention is an impossibility,” De Lima said in a statement.
 |
Via
philstar.com
|
“I hope and
pray that I am wrong, but we must do more than hope and pray. We must act. It
is only then that we can make a ‘Happy New Year’ a reality, and not merely a
desperate wish,” De Lima added.
SOURCE FROM: powerofduterte.com
Anong masasabi niyo sa isyung ito?
Magbigay ng iyong komento.
No comments:
Post a Comment