News Release
July 5, 2019
Amid jail threat, fisherfolk seeks Duterte’s impeachment
Manila, Philippines – Fisherfolk under the group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) on Friday trooped Mendiola, Manila to call for the impeachment of President Rodrigo Duterte for compromising the fishing rights of Filipino fishers as well as the resources of the West Philippine Sea.
“Duterte is culpable of treason and violating the constitution for allowing China to exploit our marine territory which is exclusive for the Filipino people. His questionable deals with China also violate the fishing rights of our fishermen in the West Philippine Sea. The longer he stays in power, the longer our fishers will suffer and fish stocks will be jeopardized,” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA National Chairperson said during the protest.
The fisherfolk group is unperturbed by the threat of President Duterte that anyone who will file impeachment complaint against him will be subjected to arrest, saying that “with the violations in the constitution that the President has committed, he is the one that should be jailed.”
“Duterte is mistaken if he thinks that his jail threat will silence and stop us from pursuing his impeachment; he is the one that should be jailed in the first place over the multiple crimes he has committed against the Filipino people and the constitution,” Hicap, former Anakpawis Party-list solon added.
The fisherfolk group is calling on all the progressive sectors, organizations, and even individuals from all walks of life to come forward and unite with the Filipino fisherfolk in upholding the national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as holding China and Duterte accountable over the environmental disaster that they have inflicted in the West Philippine Sea.
“West Philippine Sea is ours and ours alone. We vow to protect what is rightfully ours whatever it takes; and this includes removing the puppet commander in chief in power who is the primary culprit behind the complete takeover of our sovereignty by China,” ended Hicap. ###
