SHIP DE LIMA TO ICELAND

Detained Senator Leila de Lima again criticized President Rodrigo Duterte as “heartless” in her latest handwritten letter from Camp Crame, which is becoming entertaining, as it shows how slowly this drug lord is losing her mind. Writing has become therapeutic for her, and the little attention she gathers from these dispatches betrays her true intention, that is they lead to her self-destruction, rather than aid in her disoriented and blackened advocacy.

De Lima said President Duterte was irrational and heartless to refuse aids and grants from the 18 countries that voted in favor of the Iceland resolution filed before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) last July 2019. The basis was Malacañang’s memorandum attached to a Bureau of Customs transmittal that surfaced on the BoC website — but has since been deleted — instructing officials basically to end talks and negotiations with each of the 18 counties. The administration owned up to the memorandum and admitted its existence, but Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin was quick to defend its issuance, saying that, after all, any support from the 18 countries are of negligible amounts and the Philippines will have no problem looking for funding elsewhere.

Of course, De Lima had to take this opportunity to comment, and use the word “heartless” again. To recall, the last instance she used “heartless” in her Crame dispatches was in response to the feeding ban on stray cats in Bonifacio Global City. You can therefore imagine the magnanimity of her emotions at this time.

Just like her knowledge of any situation, this specific dispatch on the BoC memorandum reveals her lack of information and biased take to her own personal benefit, after spending years mismanaging local jails, profiteering form the illegal drug trade, and getting cozy with her personal aides and driver.

Eighteen countries voted in favor of the resolution, these are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, Iceland, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Uruguay. Going through this list, those familiar with the Philippines’ foreign relations will identify United Kingdom and Australia as the countries we are most involved in, given the number of Filipinos residing in those countries. The Philippines has been in talks also with Austria with grants for bridges in far-flung areas, but these can be foregone. We’re not even too worried about Spain, our former conqueror, as they have left us to be truly independent, neither Italy considering that we already mastered their delicacies.

The stance of President

Duterte is nothing new, and was really expected. Should we tally the amount of loans and grants to be set aside, the administration estimated it to be half a billion pesos — money that the Philippines can get elsewhere with the upsurge of economic development in the metro and the provinces. All in all, Filipinos need not worry — the President knows what he is doing.

Further, we shouldn’t give credence to the Iceland resolution. In the first place, the resolution is a “dead” one, as characterized by

Secretary Locsin. In the 47-member UNHRC, 18 voted for it, 14 voted against, and 15 abstained.

This means, 29 were not in favor (14+15), while only 18 were in favor.

Next, why should we listen to Iceland — a country that legalized abortion of babies by allowing termination of pregnancies up to 22 weeks or five-and-a-half months, which is already more than halfway into the pregnancy. This law came into effect in Iceland last 2 September.

Thus, how can we believe Iceland in its position against the Philippines’ war against drug-menaced criminals who rape and kill our people in cold blood, when Iceland is also favorable of ending lives of unborn children, nearly six months in the womb of a mother, giving them no chance of living and breathing?

The Iceland resolution revealed who our friends are. Notably, China voted against it, in view of our historic relations right now, and a huge reason why we are not at all bothered with a slight dip on the loans and grants of the international community to the Philippines. President Duterte announced that he is flying to Russia in October, and right after this pronouncement, Russia allowed e-visa entry to select places, particularly St. Petersburg and the surrounding Leningrad region. Unbeknown to De Lima, President Duterte has been making strides in his strategic foreign relations. Someone, please remind De Lima to limit her writing about stray cats.

“How can we believe Iceland in its position against the Philippines’ war against drug-menaced criminals, when Iceland is also favorable of ending lives of unborn children, nearly six months in the womb of a mother.

“Just like her knowledge of any situation, this specific dispatch on the BoC memorandum reveals her lack of information and biased take to her own personal benefit.