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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) Senator Leila De Lima, one of the staunchest critics of President Rodrigo Duterte, has been in jail since 2017 on allegations she used drug money for her senatorial campaign in 2016, when she was Justice secretary.
But De Lima and human rights groups believe the drug charges against her were fabricated to silence her for investigating the administration s bloody war on drugs. Malacanang has repeatedly denied De Lima s allegations, saying the charges against her are being tried by the country s independent courts.
Last February 17, the detained senator was acquitted in one of her three drug cases. The other two are still pending at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court.
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How the Supreme Court decided on key public interest issues
By BULATLAT STAFF
An independent judiciary is integral in a democratic society. After the ouster of former president Ferdinand E. Marcos, the framers of the 1987 Philippine Constitution included provisions guarding freedoms fought for by those who resisted the former dictator.
While safeguards against another tyrannical rule have been inserted in the highest law of the land, administrations after Marcos attempted to cling on to power. Even as the Constitution explicitly states the civilian authority is supreme over the military, succeeding administrations still resorted to militarist approach in dealing with social injustices. Some of the Martial Law era doctrines have remained, and are being used against critics and ordinary folk.
Upset about extrajudicial executions: protester at an anti-Duterte rally in Manila in September 2020.
Like social movements, right-wing populists need to mobilise supporters. In the Philippines, however, the Duterte administration is spreading strategic disinformation on social media.
Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, straddles two centuries. On the one hand, he is a classic “Third World Dictator” of the 20th century. On the other, he owes his rise to Facebook, the multinational internet corporation of the 21st century.
Duterte is probably the first president ever to be elected thanks to social media (Donald Trump may have been the second). Facebook played a decisive role in shaping the Philippine leader’s image, attacking his opponents and deluding a large number of people (see box).