Cayetano to De Lima: I share your stand vs extrajudicial killings
)Former senator Leila de Lima (L) and Senator Alan Peter Cayaetano (Ryan Leagogo and Noy Morcoso / INQUIRER.net file photos
MANILA, Philippines — Sen Alan Peter Cayetano maintained that the previous administration’s drug war helped protect the rights of every Filipino, but said that he shares former senator Leila de Lima’s stand against the alleged extra-judicial killings (EJKs) committed during that time.
Cayetano was responding De Lima’s earlier statement that he should also be arrested by the International Criminal Court (ICC) “for enabling and encouraging” Duterte’s brutal drug war.
Cayetano reiterated his stand that the Philippines is nearing a “narco-state” during the Duterte administration.
The controversial campaign against illegal drugs resulted in the deaths of thousands of Filipinos and has drew international condemnation.
“So let me know how can you say na wala kaming pakealam sa human rights when everything we did was for people’s human rights? So I understand hindi dapat may EJKs magkakpampi tayo don pero you refused to see that because sa mind mo Duterte lang ang demonyo,” Cayetano said in his Facebook live on Thursday.
(How can you say that we don’t care about human rights when everything we did was for people’s human rights? So I understand that EJKs shouldn’t have happened I a agree with ypu on that issue. But you refused to see that because in your mind Duterte is the only demon.)
Speaking about human rights, Cayetano stressed that he always preaches about the value of life.
“Kailan ko sinabing kulang pa y’ung patay (When did I say that the deaths during that time was not enough?) I always said that every life is valuable,” he said.
The senator then questioned the argument that many of the alleged EJK victims were not given due process.
“Sa mga nagsasabi kay Duterte na ikaw nga binigyan mo ba sila ng due process? So ano inaamin niyo na hindi niyo siya bibigyan ng due process?” Cayetano asked.
(To people questioning Duterte about not giving victims the right to due process, so are you admitting that you are not giving him due process?)
Cayetano claimed that De Lima had a “political agenda” in wanting to have him arrested by the ICC.
“Kaya gusto nyo ikulong nalang lahat ng kalaban nyo. Pati sinasabi mo happy ako nung ikinulong ka. You know magkaibigan tayong personal,” he claimed.
(That’s why you want all your enemies to be imprisoned. You said I am happy you were detained but we are friends.)
“You know in your heart that I always hate sin but never the sinner. I never prayed, never smiled, and I never was happy with what happened to you, nor did I pray for it. You know that in your heart, but still yung anger ang pinaiiral niyo ngayon (you let your anger take over),” he further said.
In 2018, Cayetano defended the Duterte administration’s drug war at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, saying that it has “not only prevented the Philippines from becoming a “narco-state,” it has also helped protect the rights of every Filipino.”
Based on reports, Duterte’s war on drugs left at least 6,000 people dead; however, human rights groups reported that the number may have reached 20,000.
But Cayetano, at that time, said that the rights of “law-abiding citizens and law enforcers” are protected over the rights of “drug lords and criminals who seek to kill and destroy.”
On March 11, Duterte was served an arrest warrant by the ICC over alleged crimes against humanity during his administration’s bloody drug war.
After his arrest, Duterte was transferred to Villamor Air Base headquarters before boarding a chartered plane, which brought him to The Hague around 11:55 p.m. on Wednesday.
