Former Senator Leila de Lima — GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Leila de Lima expressed support for the government’s legal actions against Vice President Sara Duterte.
She expressed elation on Thursday over the news that criminal charges are being considered by the police and the Department of Justice against the vice president.
These moves came after Duterte publicly said she had asked someone to kill President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., his wife First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, if she would be killed.
“Precisely kaya umaaksyon ngayon ang estado through its relevant agencies, para maipakita na walang sino man ang mas mataas kaysa sa batas,” de Lima said in a Teleradyo interview on Thursday.
(That is precisely why the state is taking action now through its relevant agencies, to show that no one is above the law.)
“Ito ang pagsasampa ng iba’t ibang kaso, na medyo nagagalak tayo na nag-uumpisa na ang estado sa DOJ through the NBI,” the former senator and former justice secretary noted.
(This is the filing of various cases, and we are pleased that the state is beginning to act in the DOJ through the NBI.)
De Lima asserted that the state must show Duterte that she must be held accountable to the rule of law.
“Unang-una, kailangan ipakita talaga sa kanya na hindi siya nakakataas sa batas. Ipakita sa kanya na may mga proseso ang batas, ang Konstitusyon,” said de Lima.
(First of all, we really need to show her that she is not above the law. We need to show her that there are processes in the law, in the Constitution.)
“Kasi ‘yung asal nga nya na parang she’s above all of this, that she’s above accountability. So ipakita talaga ang pwersa ng estado — executive department, judicial department and even the legislative department,” de Lima pointed out.
(Because her behavior seems to suggest that she’s above all of this, that she’s above accountability. So demonstrate to her the power of the state — the executive department, the judicial department and even the legislative department.)