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BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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Tuesday, June 13, 2017
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MANILA – On Independence Day, minority senators called on Congress and the Supreme Court to assert their independence.
“Now more than ever, it is important for our democratic institutions to show their independence amid the complicated and divisive political environment that we have today,” Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Leila de Lima, Antonio Trillanes IV, and Risa Hontiveros said in a statement.
“We will not be able to protect and serve our people if we do not preserve our independence and integrity as institutions of democracy,” the statement read.
Allowing others to dishonor and disrespect Congress and the Supreme Court is an “insult to the memory of the brave and selfless Filipinos who fought for our freedom as a nation,” said Drilon, Senate minority leader.
According to Trillanes, “it is in everyone’s interest that we guard the independence of our institutions” and “[keep] dissent alive in the face of tyranny.”
Meanwhile Pangilinan and Aquino warned against the spread of fake news and disinformation.
Aquino and Trillanes were tagged by Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to the Marawi City siege. Aguirre later claimed the press misquoted him.
“Sa pagyabong ng social media, lumaganap din ang fake news na nagbabanta sa katotohanan at nagdudulot ng kalituhan,” Pangilinan said. “Nais nating mga Pilipino na maging malaya mula sa fake news at kasinungalingan.”
“In an era of fake news, rapid online persecution and weak political institutions, we need to fight for our democracy now more than ever,” said Aquino.
Hontiveros asked the public to honor the sacrifices of war heroes by opposing the proclamation of martial law in Mindanao.
“Independence and freedom will have no sense without democracy. Our freedom can only be guaranteed by strong democratic institutions,” she said. “Let us always remember: the promised order of tyranny will never bring us to full democracy.”
De Lima, now detained at the Custodial Center of the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame over drug trafficking charges, called on the Duterte administration to stop its “twisted” system of governance.
“Hindi maiaahon ang bansa sa pagpatay sa mahihirap nating kababayan. Hindi madadaan sa karahasan at pagkitil sa demokrasya ang pagkamit ng katarungan at kapayapaan,” she said. “Kailangan ng mamamayan na makita ang kongkretong programa at proyekto ng pamahalaan para matugunan ang kawalan ng trabaho, mababang pasahod, at kawalan ng tiyak na kabuhayan.”/PN
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