De Lima calls for LP’s unified fight vs threats to democracy

Senator Leila de Lima. FILE PHOTO

Opposition Senator Leila de Lima on Friday urged her partymates at the Liberal Party (LP) to continue working together to promote meaningful change and liberalism now that the liberal values of truth, justice and democracy are being “undermined” by the present administration.

In her message on the 72nd anniversary of the political party, De Lima said it was “high time for LP members to stand united in fighting against the government who threatens democracy and tramples upon the rights of the Filipino people.”

“Sa panahon man ng kadiliman at mapaniil na pamahalaan, nariyan ang LP at ang mga naninindigang miyembro nito upang ipagtanggol at ipaglaban ang ating kalayaan, demokrasya at mga karapatan,” she said in a statement.

“Maging lunsaran sana ang pagdiriwang na ito sa higit pang pagbibigkis ng ating partido at sa pagtataguyod ng makabuluhang transpormasyon upang higit na maisabuhay at mapatibay ang ating mga batayang prinsipyo,” she added.

The detained senator said LP, the country’s second oldest political party,  saw the shift of alliances of many of its members to the now-ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party after President Rodrigo Duterte assumed presidency.

But with Duterte at the helm of the administration, she said “extrajudicial killings have been rampant with an estimated 13,000 casualties in his administration’s all-out war on drugs.”

PDP-Laban stalwarts and allies in Congress have also been pushing for Charter change (Cha-cha) which could possibly pave the way for a federal form of government.

A federal unitary form of government was among Duterte’s key electoral promises during the 2016 elections.

While “other elected government officials choose to turn a blind eye on the injustices shrouding the country,” De Lima said LP members should “distinguish themselves by publicly condemning Duterte’s crooked policies.”

“Sa pananahimik at pagwawalang kibo ng marami nating pinuno at kababayan, lalong sinasagad ng kasalukuyang gobyerno ang pagyurak sa ating Saligang Batas at pagtapak sa ating karapatang pantao. Pinatay ang libo-libong maralita sa ilalim ng ‘War on Drugs at walang habas ang pag-tokhang sa ating sistemang pangkatarungan,” she said.

“Higit pa sa ating pagiging ‘dilawan,’ higit pa sa hawak nating katungkulan o kapangyarihan, Pilipino tayong may obligasyon at nagmamalasakit sa kapwa Pilipino; Pilipino tayong nagnanais na maibalik ang ating pambansang dangal,” she added.