De Lima apologizes for walkout: ‘I was ganged up on’
Opposition Senator Leila De Lima holds some documents as she questions witnesses at the resumption of the Philippine Senate probe on extrajudicial killings in the continuing “war on drugs” campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte Monday, Oct. 3, 2016 in suburban Pasay city, south of Manila, Philippines. The Philippine Senate’s Committee on Justice and Human Rights, has invited witnesses to look into the possible human rights violations and extrajudicial killings in Davao city when Duterte was still the city mayor as well as the current “war on drugs” campaign by the present administration. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Senator Leila de Lima has apologized for her “outburst” and “walkout” Monday night when she stormed out of the Senate hearing on alleged extrajudicial killings in the country.
“I wish to apologize for the outrage last night and the walkout. But I’m addressing po itong (this) apology kong ito sa publiko kasi naghihintay din po ako ng apology sa mga kasamahan ko (to the public because I am still waiting for the apology of my colleagues),” De Lima told reporters on Tuesday.
She said she walked out because she was deeply hurt by the accusations hurled at her by some of her colleagues during the hearing of the Senate committee on justice and human rights.
“Masyado pong masakit (at) hindi katanggap-tanggap yung inaakusahan ka ng mga bagay na hindi mo naman ginawa o ginagawa,” she said.
(Being accused of things you are not guilty of is too painful and is unacceptable.)
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De Lima noted that it was only the second time that she walked out of the Senate proceedings.
The first was last September 19 when Senator Alan Peter Cayetano was delivering his privilege speech against the probe being conducted by the committee, which De Lima previously headed.
She said she did not walk out on those two occasions for no reason.
“That’s my best expression of protests. My best way of expression, of expressing my protests of the things happening. Hind ko na po nagustuhan (I was no longer liking it). I was being ganged up [on]. Hndi na nila ako pinapakinggan (They’re not listening to me) so what’s the point of staying there? To be further crucified by them? I was clearly outnumbered,” the lady senator said.
Until now, none of her colleagues has apologized to her.
“And my apology now ay sa publiko po (is for the public). Pasensya na po kayo doon sa outburst ko, sa pag walk out ako (Please pardon my outburst, my walking out). Hangga’t maari hindi po talaga dapat yan ginagawa (That must be avoided as much as possible),” De Lima said.
“Pero humihingi rin po ako ng paumanhin, humihingi po ako ng pang -unawa na wala na po akong ibang choice kagabi . It’s too much already,” she said.
(But I also ask for understanding, I had no choice last night.
De Lima explained that she walked out of the hearing of the Senate committee on justice and human rights because she felt that some of her colleagues were already ganging up on her and were not listening to her arguments anymore.
“I still have my self-respect and self-esteem notwithstanding all the things, cruel things that are being done to me by the members of the House (of Representatives), some members of the Senate, and then yung mga (their) cohorts nila sa labas,yung mga operators na yan (outside, the operators), yung mga nag-ga-gather ng (those who are gathering) fabricated ng evidence na yan,” she said.
The House justice committee is also investigating the alleged proliferation of illegal drugs at the New Bilibid Prison during the past administration when De Lima was still the justice secretary.
“Hindi po sila humihinto kasi nakikita nila nakatayo pa ako kaya (They are not stopping because they can still see me standing, so) I have to continue standing because I don’t want to give them the pleasure of seeing me beaten dahil alam ko po tama ang ipinaglalaban ko (because I know I am fighting for what’s right),” De Lima added. CDG/rga
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