On Tue, Aug 2, Senator Leila de Lima delivered a privilege speech where she expressed her horror over the extra-judicial killings happening daily all over the country. She called on the government to do a probe on these blatant and bloody violations of the law.
But while De Lima’s intentions may have been commendable, we have to admit that her speech wasn’t exactly going to start a revolution. In fact, some parts made us cringe.
Words are supposed to be a lawmaker’s most effective weapons. In this case, we think De Lima needs a weapons upgrade.
We picked 11 parts of her speech that didn’t exactly win us over.
(1)
What she said: “Our nation is in crisis. This crisis is the real and present danger posed by the illegal drug trade overwhelming our national fabric.”
What we thought: Is piña our national fabric? Yes, we know what she means but she could have put it more simply.
(2)
What she said: “I will not fall without a fight. I will not go into that good night without nary a whimper…”
What we thought: Dylan Thomas must be cringing in his grave.
(3)
What she said: “Yes. Mr. President, there is no shabu laboratory inside the Bilibid Prison, not even in the tunnels under it.”
What we thought: But there’s a recording studio and a rooftop pool, right?
(4)
What she said: “Those who will search the (Bilibid) tunnels will get a whiff not of the smell of cooking methamphetamine, but of methane that comes from the human waste of the prisoners above.”
What we thought: The Science of Shit.
(5)
What she said: “We must force ourselves to be reminded that the victims are always flesh and blood to their families and loved ones. Hindi sila suman o dinuguan.”
What we thought: Thank you for making us lose our appetite.
(6)
What she said: “I must admit, the public reaction to these executions is not in favor of those who oppose it. A 91% approval rating for the President and what he stands for is a formidable record. But we cannot base our reactions to these killings on the popularity of the President. Popular or not, MURDER MUST STOP. S-T-O-P. STOP. Stop the killings now!”
What she thought: Who the hell wrote your S-P-E-E-C-H?
(7)
What she said: “The message is this: Let us not wait until another Atenean on his way home is killed. Let us not wait until a La Sallian is killed. Let us not wait until another student or teacher from any other school, or a worker or commuter or motorist, is killed.”
What we thought: “Others” na ba yung ibang school?
(8)
What she said: “Freddie Aguilar once sang: ‘Higit sa lahat ay tao.’ This is the biggest truth: ‘Higit sa lahat ay tao. Higit sa lahat ay buhay.'”
What we thought: Her choice of singer isn’t exactly wise, as he’s identified with a person who doesn’t exactly like her.
(9)
What she said: “The right to life is the most ancient and most basic of all human rights. It is the source of all human rights.”
What we thought: Duh!
(10)
What she said: “It is the powerless and the helpless who most need our love and protection, not the powerful.”
What we thought: Love talaga, ‘te? Realistic ka ba dyan?
(11)
What she said: “The Roman poet Dante said: ‘The hottest place in hell is reserved to those, who, in times of moral crisis, refuse to take a stand.'”
What we thought: Some people can’t take a stand as publicly as you do because they don’t want to be slapped with libel charges or attacked by trolls for expressing their opinion.
