The Liberal Party defended Sen. Leila de Lima (rght) on Thursday, August 18, 2016, from the ‘gutter language’ of President Rodrigo Duterte saying she needed support and respect. The LP spoke up for De Lima, who is a member, after Duterte on Wednesday described her as an ‘immoral’ woman for allegedly taking her driver as her ‘paramour.’ INQUIRER FILES
The Liberal Party defended Senator Leila de Lima on Thursday from President Rodrigo Duterte’s tirades, saying she deserves support and respect, not condemnation and “gutter language.”
“The Liberal Party stands for free and open debate, for due process of law, and respect and civility in public discourse,” the LP said in a statement.
“Senator Leila De Lima is doing her job as a senator of the Republic. She deserves support, not condemnation; respect, and not gutter language; she and our people deserve the facts, not innuendo.”
READ: Duterte blasts female senator: She’s ‘immoral’, an ‘adulterer’ | It’s foul, it’s character assassination–De Lima
The LP said it was saddened by the accusations being leveled against De Lima, who is a party member.
The group then urged Senate President Aqulino Pimentel III to make a stand on the issue and uphold the independence of the chamber.
“To this end, we call on the Senate President to uphold the independence of the Senate whose membership must always be vigorously supported as they fulfill the people’s mandate to make inquiries in aid of legislation,” it said.
Pimentel is president of PDP-Laban now chaired by Duterte.
De Lima was among the LP senators who elected the Senate President when the 17th Congress opened last July 25.
The LP issued the statement a day after Duterte called her an “immoral woman” for allegedly having an affair with her driver, whom he claimed also collected drug money which might have funded her campaign in the last elections.
READ: Duterte slams De Lima
De Lima was justice secretary before she was elected senator last May./rga
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