Press Release
June 15, 2019

De Lima to Duterte: Stop ranting, go back to work or else, resign!

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has urged Mr. Duterte to devote his time and energy in addressing the most pressing issues burdening the country and its people instead of ranting about his work as a President.

De Lima made the statement after Duterte, who is on his second half of his one-time, six-year term of office, recently said he regretted his decision to run for the country's top political position due to the overwhelming problems he had to face.

"A competent leader would have nothing else on his mind at this moment except to govern, face the pressing issues hounding the nation, and ease the suffering of the Filipinos, especially the poor and vulnerable members of our society," she said.

"Now is not the time for the President to rant and play politics - not when thousands of his countrymen are suffering from unemployment, poverty and human rights abuses, among others," she added.

In a speech before newly-elected local government officials in Cagayan De Oro City last June 12, Duterte said he had lost interest in his job and warned his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, not to follow in his footsteps.

Duterte even blamed his critics, like Sen. Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV, anew for supposedly making his work tough because "they are the rogue soldiers."

The lady Senator from Bicol lamented how Duterte "would always find someone to blame every time he fails to fulfill his duty as a president," adding that he should "stop using the opposition as easy scapegoat for his failed governance, or the lack thereof."

De Lima, a former justice secretary, added that every attempt by Duterte to complain about his role as a president is a "missed opportunity" for him to serve and improve the lives of the Filipino populace.

"Harapin mo nang maayos ang mga problema ng bayan at ang kabi-kabilang isyu na kinakasangkutan ng administrasyon mo hindi yung puro ka reklamo, Mr. Duterte. Sawa na ang sambayanang Pilipino sa mga drama mo. Just work! Better still, just resign!" she said.

De Lima also lamented that the administration's war on drugs has miserably failed in stopping the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country and in running after the big-time drug lords and syndicates.

She reiterated her call for Duterte to allow a fact-finding independent body to investigate the unabated spate of extrajudicial and summary killings in his administration's all-out war on drugs.

Duterte has repeatedly broached the idea of relinquishing his post in the past. Last March, Duterte said he is willing to cut short his term of office because he was supposedly feeling tired from solving the issues in relation to his war on drugs.

In August 2018, he expressed interest to step down from presidency before his term ends in June 2022 because he was tired of fighting illegal drugs and corruption in government.

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