Duterte would also meet his end, says ex-CHR chair Etta Rosales
Former Commission on Human Rights chairperson Loretta ‘“Etta” Rosales on Thursday said that President Rodrigo Duterte would also meet his end, just like former President Ferdinand Marcos.
“Mr. Duterte, katulad ni Marcos, may hangganan din, kung akala niya tuloy-tuloy siya, nagkakamali siya sapagkat ang mga tao, namumulat na sa katotohanan (Mr. Duterte, like Marcos, would meet his end. If he thinks this will last, he is mistaken because people wake up to reality),” she said during a democracy protest at Plaza Miranda.
“Si Mr. Duterte ay hindi isang idolo na tama lagi ang pinagsasasabi habang nagmumura siya, niyuyurakan ang dignidad ng kababaihan, pinapaslang ang mga mahihirap, sinasaktan ang ating mga kababayan para lamang siya, ipakita na siya ang tama (Mr. Duterte is not the idol that people believe he is, or someone who is always right, even as he curses and steps on women and kill the poor or hurt or people just to prove that he is right),” she added.
Rosales, who was also a human rights victim during the martial law era, recalled her experiences during the Marcos dictatorship in a rally for democracy against the Duterte administration.
“Dalawang beses inaresto, pinahirapan, tinorture, pero alam ninyo, nabuhay ako. Hindi ko pinayagan na talunin nila ako at sirain nla ang aking pagkatao at ang aking kalooban. Lumaban ako (I was imprisoned twice. I was tortured, but I lived. I didn’t allow them to defeat me or destroy my dignity. I fought hard),” she said.
She also called on those present during the rally to encourage others to participate in protests to spread awareness on why there is a need to fight for democracy, justice, human rights, and genuine peace.
“Siguro naman pagbalik natin dito sa Plaza Miranda, mas marami tayo. Tiyakin pa nating mas marami tayo, dadamihan natin ang hanay natin. Pero magagawa lang natin ‘yan ‘pag tiyak na kausapin natin ang ating mga pamilya ang ating mga kapitbahay ang katotohanan tungkol sa paglaban sa demokrasaya, katarungan, karapatang pantao at tunay na kapayapaan,” she said.
(Hopefully, more people would join us here in Plaza Miranda. Let us make sure that more people will join so we can strengthen our ranks. But we can only do that if we will discuss with our families, our neighbors the need to fight for democracy, justice, human rights and genuine peace.)
Church leaders, various social movements, trade union organizations, women’s groups, student councils and sectoral formations gathered at Plaza Miranda to stage a protest rally on the eve of nation’s remembrance of the martial law declaration. /ee
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