Message of Sen. Leila M. de Lima during the
"Women Defend Democracy, a Forum on International Women's Day
Miriam College, Quezon City
8 March 2017

On behalf of the Filipino people, and the #EveryWoman organization, I am one with my fellow women's rights advocates in commemorating International Women's Day.

As a woman, I have taken on many different roles--a daughter, sibling, wife, mother, lawyer, Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights, Secretary of Justice, a Defender of Human Rights.

Indeed, my personal and professional experience have taught me how to be tough; I considered myself a veteran, particularly in championing the rights of victims of abuses.

Not once did I feel that, I was limited by my being a woman.

Akala ko nga sapat na ang napagdaanan ko para maihanda ang aking sarili sa lahat ng klase ng pagsubok. Pero talaga nga pong mapagbiro ang kapalaran.

Video clip: Buhay at Babae speech

"Life has a funny way of teaching you lessons in the least expected and, yes, quite painful and traumatic ways. Just when you think that, at a particular age, although I am not that old yet, and with all these life and professional experiences, there are no longer any "big" life lessons left to be learned, life happens, things happen, and prove you wrong.

Pinaramdam sa akin ng kapalaran na may isang aspeto ng pagkababae na hindi ko pa pala lubos na nararanasan: ang maging biktima."

***

Alam naman ninyo ang dinanas at patuloy kong dinadanas na paniniil at panggigipit ng rehimeng Duterte. Wala silang pakundangan sa aking dignidad, sa aking pagkatao, sa aking pagkababae.

This all began when I investigated him when he was the Davao City Mayor over the rampant killings attributed to the so-called Davao Death Squad.

Now as Senator, I initiated an inquiry into the spate of extrajudicial killings that targets only the poor and small-time suspected drug pushers and drug users; while big-time drug lords are spared or are afforded due process.

Due to the President's vendetta and obsession to take revenge on me, this administration has thrown everything against me to destroy and pin me down. They have been using government resources to silence me.

They manufactured lies against me, and even conducted a hearing in the House of Representatives, which prejudged me as the evil queen of drug lords. They used convicts as witnesses to testify against me in exchange for immunity, pardon, or safety.

Being sycophants as they are, the so-called "Honorable" Congressmen who are allies of the President resorted to slut shaming and misogyny to put me down as they try to win the favor of the highest official of the land.

Malinaw na pahiwatig ito sa lahat: Bawal kumontra, bawal tumutol. At kung meron mang salungat, dapat patahimikin, kundi man patayin, gaya ng mga inamin ng mga testigong sina Edgar Matobato at SPO3 Arturo Lascañas sa Senado--mga dating miyembro at lider ng Davao Death Squad.

Talagang sukdulan na sa kaitiman ang budhi nitong si Ginoong Duterte. Gagawin niya ang lahat, labag man sa batas, matupad lang ang kagustuhan niyang makaganti sa akin.

Video clip: Duterte's remarks vs. De Lima

"If I were De Lima, ladies and gentlemen, I'll hang myself. Your life has been--hindi lang life--the innermost of your core as a female is being serialized every day."

"Hoy De Lima, makinig ka. Putangina ka."

"Look at De Lima. Do you think those officials who testified against her are lying?...And her odious character, she's raising the view of womanhood to take away the heat...if those connections are true, she will rot in jail."

***

And the rest is history. The Department of Justice filed a total of 12 criminal cases against me based on trumped-up charges. They wrongly accused me of illegal drug trading and imprisoned me.

Video clip: On De Lima's arrest

"Bababa na po ako dito sa Senado at haharapin ko na po yung team ng CIDG na magse-serve sa akin ng Warrant of Arrest. Sasama na po ako sa kanila, voluntarily.

Nananalig po ako sa mahal na Diyos na malalampasan ko rin po ang lahat ng ito. Na sa bandang huli, lalabas po ang katotohanan at makakamit ko po ang hustisya.

Tulad po ng lagi kong sinasabi, inuulit ko po ngayon: Inosente po ako. Walang katotohanan, pawang kasinungalingan ang mga pinaparatang po nila sa akin.

Karangalan ko po na ako'y makulong dahil sa mga ipinaglalaban ko. Ipagdasal n'yo lang po ako."

***

Ito pong aking ipinaglalaban ay hindi ko lamang sariling laban. Laban din ito ng mga kababaihan.

Hindi namimili ng mabibiktima ang mga mapagsamantala--anumang propesyon o katayuan sa buhay, sikat man, karaniwang maybahay o kabiyak ng makapangyarihan, nakararanas ng pang-aabuso at pagmamaltrato.

Marahil, ang lantarang pagmumura at panghihiya sa babae ng lalaking tangan ang pinakamataas na katungkulan sa bansa ay nagpapaalala sa kanila sa pisikal, emosyonal at sikolohikal na pang-aabusong kanilang nararanasan.

Iparamdam natin sa kanilang hindi ito makatwiran at hindi ito dapat magpatuloy. Hindi dahilan ang kahinaan o pagkukulang para maabuso. Mayroon lang talagang mga mapagmalabis at sarado ang pag-iisip--sa paniniwalang nasusukat ang pagkalalake sa pagtapak sa karapatan ng mga babae.

Laban ito ng mga pamilya at biktima ng karumal-dumal na pagpaslang, lalo na ng mga nadamay na inosenteng bata at sibilyan. Damayan natin ang kapwa kababaihang nabalo, inang namatayan ng anak, naulila ng kaibigan at mga mahal sa buhay dahil sa karahasang dulot ng madugong kampanya laban sa droga.

Laban ito ng sambayanang Pilipino na nararapat lamang pagsilbihan ng malinis na hanay ng kapulisan, lalo na ng matitinong pinuno. Laban ito para sa hustisya; laban ito para sa demokrasya.

Sa mga kapwa ko babae, sama-sama, nagkakaisa, ipakita natin ang ating lakas, ang ating dignidad, at ang ating kakayahang makiambag sa pagsusulong ng kinabukasan para sa ating mga anak, at sa susunod na henerasyon ng Pilipino.

Video clip: Buhay at Babae speech

"A woman, even when she's weak, she is strong; even when she bends, she remains whole; in the face of different challenges, she can adapt and find ways to survive and triumph.

That's the foe that my detractors and my so-called enemies face. Let them tremble where they stand."

***

Thank you very much.

#OneForLeila
#FreeLeila