Filipinos have long gained freedom from foreign invaders but not from injustice and poverty, said two opposition senators on Wednesday, when the country marked 121st Independence Day.
"You're not free, the chain is long." This seems to describe the situation of our country today - we are not completely free. We do not fully enjoy our rights and they are trampled by oppressive governments. detained Sen. de Lima said in a statement
De Lima noted that around 28,000 had been killed under the government's anti-narcotics push, a figure repeatedly said the government had swelled.
According to official police calculations, the number of those killed due to alleged violence in police operations since the government took power in July 2016 was more than 5,000 by the end of January.
Meanwhile, De Lima also cited the entry of Chinese citizens working illegally in the country.
He called on the public to raise alarms against rampant killings and the entry of Chinese illegal workers.
Let's join our colleagues who continue to stand up, those who come from the government, the Church and ordinary citizens, to straighten out the crooked and demand corrupt and abusive accountability. he says
Senator Francis Pangilinan of the Liberal Party cited a continuing threat to freedom.
"We continue to be confronted with external and internal challenges that erode the hopes of our people and threaten their freedom," Senator Francis Pangilinan said in a separate statement.
"For how can we be independent when our people are hungry for food, work and justice?" he added.
He urged the public to treat Independence Day as a "reminder that the road to freedom has never been easier."
"Every day, we are always called to take action and maintain to fight for and protect our territory, decent work, fair opportunities, and the right to truth," he said.
Delima to Filipinos: You're not free, the chain is long