Hontiveros hopes Duterte won’t deliver ‘fake news-powered’ Sona

MANILA, Philippines — Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros said she hopes President Rodrigo Duterte will not deliver a “fake news-powered” State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday.

The senator criticized Duterte for saying he will “educate people” that he was not violating the Constitution when he allowed Chinese access to the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone through a verbal agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2016.

“Actually, halos hindi ko na alam kung anong aasahan. Dahil ang mga Sona niya ay puro mura, pagbabanta ng karahasan, pambabastos sa kababaihan, tapos nitong huli, pagtataksil sa bansang Pilipinas para sa China,” she told reporters after gracing the “Misa para sa Katotohanan” organized by some progressive groups at the St. Peter’s Parish in Quezon City. 

(Actually, I do not know what to expect anymore, because his previous Sona was full of curses, threats of harassment, unwanted remarks to women, and just recently, he showed he was a traitor for the sake of China.)

“Sana itigil ‘yung truth-challenged, fake news-powered na State of the Nation Address,” she added.

(I hope he will not deliver a truth-challenged and fake news-powered Sona.)

Hontiveros added she hopes Duterte will discuss the country’s foreign policies amid his agreement with China allowing them to fish in the Philippines’ EEZ.

“Paano ba talaga niya plano, or may plano ba siya na itaguyod ang soberanya ng Pilipinas?” the senator asked.

(What is his plan, or does he have any plan to assert Philippine sovereignty?)

She also hopes that Duterte will also stop his unwanted remarks on women as he delivers his fourth Sona, and especially after the passage of the “Bawal Bastos Law” aiming to punish gender-based harassment. /je