Senatorial candidate and former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima vows to fight the candidacy of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte if the tough-talking mayor continues advocating an iron-hand policy that violates human rights. In news conference held recently, the former Justice secretary once again attack the popular mayor of Davao City.
Leila de Lima was quoted as saying “I will continue to fight him because [violating human rights] is wrong and a person who has no respect for human rights has no right to lead the country,” De Lima said in a news conference.
“If you have no respect for human rights, you also have no respect for the law. So how can he lead our country if that is his belief?” said De Lima.
The former Justice secretary will be running for senator under the administration coalition led by the Liberal Party. Secretary de Lima also made headlines earlier when she visited Mayor Duterte’s bailwick wherein she was welcomed not by her chanting supporters but by the supporters of Mayor Duterte.
According to the former DOJ secretary, the Department of Justice is investigating reports about the existence of the alleged DDS or the Davao Death Squad, but all the allegations were not proven in court.
The senatorial candidate also noted that when she was still the chair of the Commission on Human Rights, she went to Davao City, held public hearings and had the mayor subpoenaed but none of the cases prospered because no witnesses offered to testify.
Leila de Lima also clarified that she had nothing personal against Duterte, noting they both graduated from the San Beda College of Law.