Dispatch from Crame No. 548:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima on Duterte's Amendment No. 6 according to Panelo

7/2/19

Duterte will do anything for China.

He will be a dictator to his own people for China, if that is what it takes to protect and defend his master against the Filipinos' resistance to Chinese invasion of Philippine waters. He will order the arrest of those who will file an impeachment case against him, for no other reason than to stay in power so he can continue defending China. His PNP Chief even promised to follow his orders to arrest anyone who files an impeachment case "if they violate the law".

Presidential Spokesperson Panelo has, without the benefit of any constitutional amendment, managed to supplant the Constitution to grant Duterte dictatorial powers. Panelo says that Sec. 2, Art. XII of the Constitution on reserving the use of the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone for Filipinos is superseded by Sec. 4, Art. II which states that the prime duty of the government is to serve and protect the people. Panelo's demented reasoning posits that if Duterte does not allow China access to our EEZ, China will obliterate the Philippines in a nuclear attack. In that case, there will no longer be any Filipino people to serve and protect.

Malacañang might as well invoke Sec. 4, Art. II to abolish Congress and the Supreme Court, and declare Duterte dictator-for-life. If Panelo is to be believed, the only provision of the Constitution that matters is this provision, a provision he blatantly misapplies to justify allowing a Chinese invasion even when the provision precisely speaks of the opposite. It speaks of defending and protecting the people against a foreign invasion.

Under the guise of protecting and defending the people, what will also now prevent PNP Chief Albayalde from making good on his intention to arrest anyone who files an impeachment case against Duterte? Panelo will just say that Sec. 4, Art. II supersedes the Bill of Rights, and therefore Albayalde can arrest anyone without a warrant.

Sec. 4, Art. II of the 1987 Constitution is now being used by Malacañang as Duterte's Amendment No. 6. Worse than Amendment No. 6, which gave Marcos legislative powers, Sec. 4, Art. II according to Panelo now gives Duterte the power to supersede any provision of the Constitution or abolish it altogether.

This is not even deplorable legal reasoning. This is outright oral diarrhea that only Panelo and Duterte can suffer without any remaining ounce of lawyerly shame or dignity.

(Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 548, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_from_crame_no._548)