Duterte is not Jesus Christ, says De Lima
President Rodrigo Duterte. ACE MORANDANTE/CONTRIBUTOR
President Rodrigo Duterte is not Jesus Christ who can bring back Lazarus to life, Senator Leila de Lima said on Wednesday.
This was how De Lima reacted to Duterte’s own admission that he made a mistake in implicating three personalities in the drug matrix that he had earlier released to the media.
Duterte had apologized to Pangasinan Rep. Amado Espino Jr., Board Member Raul Sison and former provincial administrator Rafael Baraan, whom he accused of protecting the illegal drug trade. The three, along with De Lima, were among those named in the drug matrix.
READ: Duterte apologizes to 3 in drug matrix
“President Duterte’s apology was a clear admission that there is really nothing in that ridiculous drug matrix that links me to the illegal drug trade,” De Lima said at a press conference in the Senate.
Article continues after this advertisement“It is tragic that the highest official of the land has not only been fed lies and wrong information but also has listened to rumors and intrigues,” she said.
Article continues after this advertisementThe senator reiterated that the alleged drug matrix was nothing but trash and therefore should not be given any grain of credibility.
“It also casts serious doubts on the people behind the so-called intelligence information, which to my mind do not appear intelligent at all, she said.
If that was the kind of information being fed to the President, De Lima then also asked the credibility of information being fed to the Philippine National Police by barangay captains in Operation Tokhang.
“What does that tell us about barangay captains’ lists of drug pushers and addicts, who are subjected to tokhang and vigilante assassinations based on said lists, if intel provided the President himself is prone to mistakes?” she asked.
“This is the problem with EJKs (extrajudicial killings) and the death penalty. No amount of apologies from the President will bring back Lazarus life, contrary to the belief of his fanatic supporters,” De Lima added. JE
