De Lima to Duterte: ‘Akala mala-Pepeng Agimat pero panic mode pala’

The latest drop in President Rodrigo Duterte's satisfaction rating proved he is not invincible and had even sent him into a "panic mode," according to Senator Leila de Lima.

De Lima issued the statement during a mass for her at the Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Guia in Ermita, Manila, hours before the Supreme Court dismissed her petition seeking to nullify the arrest warrant issued against her over her alleged drug ties at the New Bilibid Prison.

"It is clear that you are in panic mode. Lalo ngayon, na ayon sa latest [Social Weather Station] survey, ang satisfaction rating niya ay lumagapak ng 18 puntos. Akala po ata ni Duterte ay mala-Pepeng Agimat siya na hindi tinatablan ng kahit ano mang karma o maaapektuhan ng negatibong komento," said De Lima.

De Lima, who is currently detained at Camp Crame over drug charges, could not attend the mass and instead had her chief of staf, Fhillip Sawali, read out her statement.

De Lima said today, October 10, was her 229th day of "persecution" as a "prisoner of conscience."

"As I have said before, while I am psychologically prepared for this political persecution from no other than the vindictive President of the country, my whole being still cries out for truth and justice," De Lima said.

De Lima also complained about the government's efforts to bar foreign dignitaries and representatives of international organizations from visiting her.

The lawmaker also claimed there seemed to be attempts to inspect every document going in and out of her detention cell.

"Ang naisip ko nga: Martial Law na ba? O pwede rin, masyado lang silang takot sa multong sila rin naman ang gumawa," she wrote.

Kasuklam-suklam

De Lima once again criticized Duterte for intimidating and threatening his critics, alluding the impending pending and impending impeachment complaints against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

"Sa kagustuhan niyang siya lang ang masunod, at maitago ang mga kapalpakan, sasampahan niya at ng kanyang mga alipores ng kaso ang mga namumuno sa ating independent institutions— ang Supreme Court, ang Commission on Human Rights, at ang Ombudsman," she wrote.

"Kasuklam-suklam... The Filipino people already know your style, Duterte. You try to act innocent when in truth, you put the rule of the law in your hands and silence your critics," she added.

‘Traumatized’

In a report on "Balitanghali," GMA News' Marisol Abdurahman said the "Misa Para Kay Leila" was attended by members of the Free Leila Movement, most of them wearing white shirts with light blue scarves.

Fr. Joselito "Bong" Sarabia, who officiated the mass, called for an end to extrajudicial killings who, he said, only leave families, especially children, traumatized.

Sister Gerolinda Tingson of the Free Leila Movement urged Duterte to learn to handle criticism. Tingson said she does not believe the charges against De Lima, whom she said she has long known. 

The senator is facing charges for alleged complicity in the proliferation of illegal drug trading at the New Bilibid Prison. She is particularly accused of receiving money from drug convicts, money which was then allegedly used to fund her senatorial campaign in 2016.

De Lima has repeatedly insisted on her innocence. — Nicole-Anne C. Lagrimas/MDM, GMA News