By Former Rep. Ka Femia Cullamat
VP for Mindanao, Bayan Muna
President Marcos Jr., is this your vision of “Bagong Pilipinas” – simply continuing Duterte’s legacy of injustice against the people of Mindanao? Are you allowing the Duterte dynasty to operate without accountability, perpetuating their reign in Davao?
Yesterday’s conviction of former Bayan Muna Congressman Satur Ocampo, ACT Teachets’ Rep. France Castro, and the educators and students of Salugpongan Lumad schools felt like a death sentence for justice and cast a dark shadow of impunity over Davao. These individuals have dedicated their lives to educating and uplifting marginalized communities, yet they now face unjust punishment.
Is this another chapter in the political persecution saga, akin to the case of Leila De Lima, under your “Bagong Pilipinas”? Are you targeting opposition leaders like Ka Satur Ocampo and France Castro, the latter who has announced her Senate run in 2025? Who is behind these attacks on leaders fighting for justice? It appears Duterte continues to wield power as the “Davao Country President.”
President Marcos Jr., why do Duterte, Bato de la Rosa, Quiboloy and others remain unpunished for their crimes, killing thousands of Filipinos? Their so-called “war on drugs” claimed thousands of lives and continues to result in killings in Davao to this day.
Why do the Dutertes remain unpunished for their crimes against the people of Mindanao?
His presidency’s offenses include:
* Declaring martial law, forcing 500,000 Mindanaoans to flee their homes due to military airstrikes and campaigns.
* The devastation of Marawi City, leaving residents still yearning to return home.
Shutting down 200 Lumad schools, depriving children of education.
*Filing trumped-up charges against 700 human rights defenders during his term.
*Turning Mindanao into a ground zero for attacks against environmental defenders across Asia.
Is this your vision for “Bagong Pilipinas”? Allowing the Duterte family to violate the law and commit crimes with impunity? Allowing Duterte to protect indicted child trafficker Apolo Quiboloy? Allowing SMNI News, a hub for fake news, to continue its operations?
Are you also ignoring the Duterte’s role in legalizing POGOs and E-sabong, allowing figures like Alice Gou to mock our country by running illegal operations and becoming a fake mayor?
President Marcos Jr., you and Secretary Remulla recently signed the new Rules of Court, promising that only cases with strong evidence would proceed to trial. You stated that this would ensure justice is served.
Yet, what happened with the Talaingod 18 conviction? Was it merely a show for your upcoming State of the Nation Address? Or does it reveal a harsher truth – that Duterte remains the de facto president of Davao, beyond your control and unaccountable for his crimes?
