Duterte a ‘dictator, coward’ for threatening to jail impeachment petitioners – De Lima
Sen. Leila de Lima. INQUIRER file photo
MANILA, Philippines – Senator Leila De Lima called President Rodrigo Duterte a dictator and a coward after the President threatened to imprison those who would file an impeachment complaint for his alleged failure to defend the country’s territory from China.
“Tulad ng inaasahan, nagpaka-Duterte na naman si Duterte sa panahong nahaharap siya sa malaking isyu—nagpaka-diktador at nagpakaduwag,” De Lima said in a statement on Friday.
The lawmaker, who is a fierce critic of Duterte, said the President failed to stand up against China whose fishermen are poaching into the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea.
“Huwag nating lubayan ang isyung ito ng paglabag ni Duterte sa Saligang Batas; ang pagiging traydor ng isang Pangulong akala mo kung sinong siga, pero walang maibuga sa Tsina,” she said.
In a speech on Thursday, Duterte said he is not scared of being impeached over his remarks that China cannot be stopped from fishing in the country’s EEZ.
“You scare me with impeachment, son of a bitch just try doing it. Erap said you will end up losing to me. Just try me, try me. If you are a man and you are brave and have balls, do it, son of a bitch,” Duterte said.
READ: Duterte on impeachment proponents: I’ll jail them all
Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, said Duterte could be impeached after giving the go signal for Chinese fishermen to fish in the Philippines’ EEZ.
READ: Del Rosario says Duterte can be impeached for not defending territory
Del Rosario said that the Constitution mandates that the country’s EEZ is a territory that should also be protected by Duterte.
Del Rosario was quoting the Article XII Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution, which states that the government “shall protect the nation’s marine wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and exclusive economic zone, and reserve its use and enjoyment exclusively to Filipino citizens.”
