De Lima gives Duterte midterm grade of 9 for ‘lies,’ ‘blunders’

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Leila De Lima agrees that the midterm rating of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte is nine out of 10. But it is not for its accomplishments but for its lies, blunders and its failed war on drugs during the President’s first three years in office.

“Tama naman talaga na nine out of 10 ang rating ng Duterte government pagdating sa kapalpakan,” De Lima said in a statement sent from Camp Crame where she is being detained.

“Mas marami ang palpak kaysa sa tama, mas madami ang kasinungalingan kaysa sa katotohanan, mas madami ang pinatay kaysa nahuling drug lord at napa-rehab,” the Duterte administration critic added.

De Lima issued the statement after Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, in an interview over Radyo Inquirer on Sunday, gave Duterte a rating of 9 out of 10 for his accomplishments during his first three years in office.

Panelo added that the best is yet to come in Duterte’s remaining three years in office.

“Hindi niya napatigil ang illegal drugs at corruption. Ibinenta pa niya ang bansa ang soberenya ng bansa. Ngayon, mangangako siya ng mas magandang buhay sa susunod na tatlong taon?” De Lima pointed out.

Instead of better days ahead for Filipinos, De Lima, who is being detained for drug charges, said she expects extrajudicial and summary killings to worsen, in the light of Duterte’s pronouncement that his drug war will be relentless, in his last three years in office.

“I also expect the attacks on human rights defenders and rampant violations of human rights and abuses on Filipino people to continue under this administration,” De Lima said.

“In sum, the worse is yet to come, especially if this regime still pursues federalism pushes for more tax measures, anti-poor and anti-human rights policies and persists in its subservience to China and imperils further our sovereignty and national dignity,” she added. (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)

READ: Panelo: Filipinos ‘in awe’ of Duterte achievements