ANN/PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER – The ASEAN lawmakers have denounced former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte for his death threat against ACT Teachers Rep France Castro.
They also demanded that he apologise to her and the House of Representatives.
The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) also expressing support for Castro, said Duterte’s threat should have no place “in a democracy or, indeed, any civilised society”.
It added that “if allowed to go unchecked”, his remarks against Castro could even lead to physical violence. “One of the mandates of parliamentarians is to act as a check and balance for other branches of governments, including by overseeing the state budget,” APHR member and Malaysian lawmaker Syerleena Abdul Rashid said in a statement issued on behalf of all the group’s members. “How can parliamentarians do this effectively if they are threatened with violence for simply questioning the use of state funds?” she asked.
During his Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa TV show on SMNI last week, Duterte went on a rant against Castro while talking to his spiritual adviser and staunch supporter, Apollo Quiboloy.
“But, the first target of your intelligence fund would be you, France. I want to kill all you communists,” Duterte said.
Apart from threatening Castro, he also scored the Lower Chamber, particularly Speaker Martin Romualdez, whom he dared to be audited.
Duterte then described the House of Representatives as the “most rotten institution”.
