Dispatch from Crame No. 560: Sen. Leila M. de Lima on the spike of underage marriages in Marawi
I’m deeply concerned over a recent report by Deutsche Welle (DW) published last July 12 about the increasing number of underage marriages—some even as young as nine years old—in Marawi City after the siege by terrorist groups more than two years ago. Though child marriage exists under Islamic traditions, I share the same concerns of […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 559: Sen. Leila M. de Lima on threats to impeach VP Leni
What “Betrayal of public trust” is Presidential Anti-Corruption Commissioner Manuelito Luna talking about when Vice President Leni Robredo supported the UNHRC Resolution? It’s what any self-respecting statesman would do. It should be what any President who has nothing to hide would also do. Nakahanap na naman ang administrasyon ng isa pang mouthpiece para pagtakpan ang […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 558: Sen. Leila M. de Lima’s Statement on Fishermen’s Writ of Kalikasan Withdrawal
Let’s state the obvious: the fishermen surely did not disown on their own volition the petition for a Writ of Kalikasan filed with the Supreme Court. They were undoubtedly talked, if not coerced, out of it by the government. They disassociated themselves from the petition immediately after government lawyers met with them. The affidavits crafted […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 557: Sen. Leila M. de Lima on Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin’s response to the UNHRC Resolution
In his statement on the UNHRC Resolution calling for a UN investigation on the killings under the Philippine drug war, DFA Secretary Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin, Jr. recalls the crimes against humanity committed in the past by the countries who voted for the resolution, while at the same time reminding them of the supposed “unblemished” human […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 556: Sen. Leila M. de Lima on the Ongoing People’s Barricade against Oceanagold Phils., Inc. (OGPI)
The ongoing barricade in the hinterlands of Didipio, Nueva Vizcaya to stop the open-pit mining operation of OceanaGold Philippines (OGPI) whose license expired last June 20 is a testament that despite the prevailing culture of fear and impunity, Filipinos have the courage to stand up for their rights. I fully support this action of Didipio […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 555: Sen. Leila M. de Lima’s Statement on Commemorating “West Philippine Sea Victory Day”
“Lupang Hinirang, duyan ka ng magitingSa manlulupig, di ka pasisiil.” Sa mga linyang ito mula sa ating Pambansang Awit, inilalarawan ang dangal ng ating lahi, at ang tungkulin nating ipagtanggol ang bayan mula sa pananakop at pang-aabuso ng mga dayuhan. Ito nga po ang isa sa mga pundasyon ng ating Saligang Batas—ang pagtatanggol sa ating […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 553: Sen. Leila M. de Lima’s Statement on Duterte’s Anointing of the House Speaker and Marching Order for a Charter Change
May duda pa ba na isang diktador ang Pangulong ito? May duda pa ba na nasa basurahan na yung ating constitutional checks and balance? May duda pa ba na ang pakay ni Duterte at ng kanyang mga tuta at kampon ay manatili pa nang matagal sa kapangyarihan, even beyond 2022? Why? To evade accountability…
Dispatch from Crame No. 552 Sen. Leila M. de Lima: UN and ICC should investigate EJKs and Halt Duterte’s Killing Machine
No matter how Duterte’s mouthpiece spin it by calling the latest Amnesty International (AI) report as an act of “politicizing” EJKs and an alleged undue interference into the domestic affairs of the country, and despite the PNP Chief’s blanket remark that the international NGO’s findings are “stereotype” allegations unworthy of belief, no apologist of Duterte’s […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 550: Sen. Leila M. de Lima’s Statement on Jueteng and Bato Dela Rosa’s “shit happens” mindset
President Duterte and Sen. Bato dela Rosa support jueteng as the lesser evil. They actually entertain “going easy” on the illegal numbers game because it is a crime that “feeds people” rather than one that kills them. This is the reasoning used by public officials to justify their acceptance of a monthly payola from jueteng […]
Dispatch from Crame No. 549: Sen. Leila M. de Lima on PNP’s brag that gov’t is winning the ‘War on Drugs’
It is no surprise that PNP Director-General Oscar Albayalde believes that the government is “definitely” winning the three-year-old “War on Drugs.” Of course, they made such declaration to justify the brutal killings under the Duterte regime. They conveniently set aside the fact that innocents continue to die because of this murderous drug war. Three-year-old Myka […]