De Lima to Malacañang: ‘Do you know what Social Justice is?’
Senator Leila de Lima. INQUIRER file photo
“Alam ba nila kung ano ‘yung Social Justice?”
(Do they know what Social Justice is?)
This was how opposition Senator Leila De Lima retorted on Tuesday at Malacañang’s criticisms on her move to have “Build, Build, Build” projects investigated at the Senate.
The Malacañang earlier said that they are hoping that the Senate probe of De Lima on two infrastructure projects of the government won’t be for “political grandstanding purposes.”
READ: Malacañang sees De Lima ‘political grandstanding’ in infra probe
But De Lima said the Palace must understand the mandate of the the Senate committee on social justice, welfare and rural development, which she chairs.
“Dapat maintindihan ng Malacañang yung mandato ng Committee ko, Committe on Social Justice. Alam ba nila kung ano yung Social Justice?,” De Lima told reporters in an ambush interview.
(Malacañang should understand the mandate of my committee, Do they know what Social Justice is?)
The detained senator earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 927 urging the upper chamber to place under Senate investigatio the impending demolition of thousands of residents’ homes in Manila affected by the construction of the P23-billion North Luzon Expressway—South Luzon Expressway (NLEX-SLEX) Connector Road Project and the P171-billion North-South Commuter Railway Project.
READ: De Lima seeks Senate probe of 2 ‘Build, Build, Build’ projects
De Lima noted that some residents of Manila have complained that concerned government agencies “have failed to adequately consult with them concerning the right-of-way negotiations.”
The senator said that the two construction projects will result in the massive demolition of houses in at least 38 barangays in Manila, composed mainly of homes and small businesses. Thousands are reportedly to be relocated to far and inaccessible sites.
De Lima emphasized that wrong displacement and relocation of affected residents would further exacerbate their economic and social problems. /jpv
