Yesterday marked a tragic moment for the Filipino people as the nation's most beloved president was unlawfully arrested by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Apparently, the current administration coordinated said act, exposing its alarming lack of understanding and respect for national sovereignty
I won’t deny, I am one of the millions of Filipinos affected. ☹
I grew up in a province where fear was a daily reality, especially here in Mindanao. I was lucky because my dad was protective of us, but I really saw and felt there was no freedom in our hometown.
As a single mother, my biggest fear was not knowing if my children would grow up safe. In my younger years, I did not witness exemplary leadership from any of our elected officials. Mindanao was always on the news. You would hear, bombings, kidnappings here and there, and the national government used to forget, neglect, and leave us to fend for ourselves. So, I decided to migrate to Davao. I can attest to the city’s slogan “Davao: Life is Here”. I found peace here! Oh, how wonderful it feels ood walking around freely without any threat of danger!
Rodrigo Duterte was then the mayor of Davao City. We had the most responsive Philippine National Police, and we had 911 emergency service!
When he ran for president, people from Luzon mocked him for being just a Mindanaon. The more insults they threw, the more Filipinos tossed him up. He got overwhelming votes from the people that no powerful individual, group, or family could manipulate. He won----the first Philippine president from Mindanao!
Believe it or not, for the first time in our lives, Filipinos felt safe!
Sure, he is not perfect—no one is! But he was the only one who had the courage to fight for the ordinary Filipinos. He stood up against criminals, drug lords, and even the powerful elites who thrived on corruption. Under his leadership, our streets became safer, drug syndicates trembled, and for once, we felt like we had a leader who truly cared. (The powerful elites, until now, cannot accept that only a Mindanaon can face them and expose their secrets!)
Under his Build, Build, Build program, we had roads and infrastructure we never thought we’d see in our lifetime. He improved healthcare, made education more accessible, and lifted the dignity of every Filipino in the eyes of the world. This is why overseas Filipino workers truly adored him until now. With all sincerity, he stood as a father to the nation—especially to those of us who never had anyone to rely on.
And now, they arrested him.
For what? For serving the people? For protecting his country? For doing what former presidents were too afraid to do?
What's even sadder is, those who have stolen billions from the people, those already proven guilty of crimes, are still sitting comfortably in the Senate, laughing, making laws as if they are righteous. Where is the justice in that??? I feel ashamed of being a Filipino with this kind of president we have NOW. His act of surrendering to the ICC, when we are no longer part of it, is an insult to the entire Filipino nation and our judiciary! A blatant disregard for national sovereignty! sigh
I am a member of the most vulnerable group in our country, single mothers. I felt his deep concern for us, for our dignity, and for our safety. I may not have power or influence, but I have a voice and I will use it to fight for him. Now I ask: Why him????
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