TACLOBAN, Leyte—Human-rights lawyer and senatorial candidate Jose Manuel “Chel” Icasiano Diokno thanked President Duterte for remembering his father, former Sen. Jose W. Diokno, as he underscored the importance of respecting the human rights of every Filipino, especially the poor.
“Actually, I’m thankful that he mentioned my father, that he still remembers my father,” Diokno said in Filipino after visiting the relocatees of Typhoon Yolanda at Pope Francis Village, Diit, Tacloban City. He said he hopes Duterte would also remember that his father is regarded as the father of human rights in the Philippines.
During his tirade on the Otso Diretso senatorial slate, Duterte said Diokno was nothing like his father.
Diokno just shrugged off the President’s comment, saying the Chief Executive should instead look at his father’s advocacy of protecting the human rights of every Filipino.
“Talagang kailangan natin na igalang ang karapatan
ng lahat, lalong lalo na ng mga mahihirap,” Diokno said. “Hindi naman puwedeng sabihin na mura lang ang buhay nila
dahil ang buhay ng lahat ng tao ay mahalaga, mayaman man o maliit na tao.
[We really need to respect the rights of all, especially the poor. We can’t say
human life is cheap because the lives of all people are important, whether rich
or small].”
“At dapat isulong mismo ng ating pamahalaan ang paggalang sa dignidad ng tao, pati sa mga kababihan, at paggalang din sa ating lahat ng pangangailangan ng bayan [Our government should lead in respecting human dignity, especially women, as well as respect for all of our people’s needs],” Diokno added. Diokno pointed out that Duterte should focus on issues that concern the welfare of the Filipino people, instead of unleashing baseless tirades to defend his senatorial bets.