Enough! For Our Future, it is time to end the abusive and incompetent Duterte regime.

Corruption. We have suffered long enough. While millions of our countrymen have fallen ill and thousands have died in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, cronies of the present regime exploited their influence to enrich themselves. Endorsed by people in the Duterte administration, the fledgling company Pharmally was awarded multi-billion-peso supply contracts; and even delivered expired products under the behest contracts.

Hunger. The mismanaged pandemic response has resulted in the displacement of millions of Filipinos from their livelihood, resulting in unprecedented hunger among the vulnerable. More than 18 months into the pandemic, the Duterte regime still has to implement a timely safety net for frontline workers, and contact-tracing and vaccination certification systems. Incompetence and corruption are in an unmatched scale.

EJKs. President Duterte has encouraged his cohorts to shoot-to-kill illegal drug users in his drug war. His signature rants to “kill, kill, kill” are directed at users who might resist arrest (nanlaban). Under the “tokhang” program, police precincts were assigned quotas and commendations were awarded based on meeting the quotas. While thousands have been victims of extra-judicial killings, high-level drug lords have evaded conviction!

Reprehensible Behavior. This president has consistently displayed his indecent and misogynistic character with his raised middle finger, cursing, rape jokes, degrading comments about women, and disgusting behavior such as groping women. Shame.

Deference to Foreign Aggressor. Philippine sovereignty over its territory in the West Philippine Sea has been violated by China with the express tolerance of the Duterte administration. One direct consequence of this policy of appeasement is the dismal failure to protect the legitimate interests of Filipino fishermen who have been unilaterally banned by China from the Exclusive Economic Zone of our country. With his statement that the 2016 Hague special arbitral tribunal ruling is “just a piece of paper, trash to be thrown away,” President Duterte has betrayed his constitutional duty to defend the national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interest of our country. By siding with the aggressor, his behavior borders on treason.

Call to Action. By signing, I share the opinions in this statement and reject the anomalous governance by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and his cronies and cohorts, as exemplified by the incriminating observations above. There are many other instances that can make this dire list. For our future, this must stop - Filipinos do not deserve this!

In the coming elections, I will exercise my right to suffrage and vote for those who will decisively end the Duterte regime and exact due accountability.