Veteran journalist Lynda Jumilla-Abalos used a popular slang in response to a senator’s comment about the International Criminal Court‘s probe in the country’s “war on drugs” under the Duterte administration.
The journalist was reacting to a quote card of a news organization featuring Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa‘s words for Filipinos who support the ICC investigation which would look into the killings during the previous administration’s anti-narcotics campaign.
The lawmaker in a television interview said that Pinoys who are siding with the ICC supposedly do not love their country.
“Ewan ko bakit itong mga bleeding hearts na gustong gustong i-surrender ang ating sovereignty doon sa foreign bodies. Hindi sila nagmamahal sa ating bansa — they do not love this country,” Dela Rosa was quoted as saying in ANC’s “Headstart” on January 24.
“Gustong-gusto nilang i-surrender at gustong-gusto nilang babastusin ang ating mga korte,” he added.
“Bakit naman ganoon ang pag-iisip natin? I don’t know [about] this kind of Filipinos. Siguro, dapat ang mga Pilipino na ito dapat ay pakantahin natin ng 1,000 times ng bayang magiliw para matuto silang magmahal ng bansa,” Dela Rosa said.
He also maintained that there was “no crime against humanity” committed in former president Rodrigo Duterte‘s “war on drugs” campaign.
The ICC is specifically looking into allegations of possible “crimes against humanity” during the implementation of Duterte’s drug war. Dela Rosa was its chief enforcer as a top cop.
A news org created a quote card featuring the senator’s remarks about his suggestion for Filipinos who are supporting the ICC to sing the Philippine national anthem which is titled “Lupang Hinirang.”
“Bayang magiliw,” which Dela Rosa referred to in his interview, is the first lyrics of the anthem and not the title.
Jumilla-Abalos was among those who reacted to his words against pro-ICC Pinoys.
“amaccana accla,” she wrote on the X (formerly Twitter) platform.
“deym, I’ve been wanting to say that,” the veteran journalist added with a raised arm emoji.
Her post has reached 4,300 likes so far, amusing some Pinoys on the X platform.
“Mother didn’t stutter,” a user commented, referring to Jumilla-Abalos.
“Hahaha! Laveeettt!” another Pinoy exclaimed.
“A veteran journalist. A girl boss. A media icon. And most of all, a MOTHER!” another user said.
“Amaccana accla” is a phrase usually used in the LGBTQ+ community to condemn fellow people for their problematic actions. It has since evolved outside their circle and into the slang vocabulary of younger generations.
The phrase translates to “Tama ka na, bakla.”
Some Filipinos, on the other hand, urged Dela Rosa to “stop” with his “drama.”
“We so love this country that we want those involved in these atrocities [to] be held accountable. So better stop your drama. If you are not guilty, then there’s nothing to be afraid of,” a Pinoy commented.
“Meh, you only talk about patriotism when it’s convenient for you. You can never call yourself patriotic if you condone killing people due to their lack of capability to get equal justice,” another user said.
“STOP WHINING, BATO. Justice and accountability will eventually catch up with you. Also, it’s Lupang Hinirang not ‘bayang magiliw,'” wrote a different Pinoy.
Dela Rosa was the chief of the Philippine National Police at the height of the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs.”
As the top cop, he implemented the operation and was the reported architect of the bloody initiative called “Oplan Tokhang.”
Being heavily involved in Duterte’s flagship campaign, Dela Rosa tagged himself as the “number two accused” in the ICC’s probe.
Duterte’s “war on drugs” has been heavily criticized for reportedly perpetrating extrajudicial killings of suspected illegal drug users who Human Rights Watch (HRW) said were mostly of the urban poor.
The international organization it has led to the death of over 12,000 Filipinos, with at least 2,555 killings attributed to the Philippine National Police.
A human rights group said the bloody campaign also included the killings of at least 122 children who they said died as direct targets, killed as proxies, as a result of mistakes and as “collateral damage.”
RELATED: THE WAR ON DRUGS: In-depth reports and analyses on the government’s bloody anti-narcotics campaign
The HRW said that “large-scale extrajudicial killings violence as a crime solution was a marker of Duterte’s 22-year tenure as mayor of Davao City” before.
It was also the cornerstone of his presidential campaign, wherein he vowed to “kill” what he said are “drug pushers, holdup men and do-nothings.”
The ICC investigates and tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community such as genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of aggression.
ALSO READ: The role and effectiveness of the International Criminal Court | Factbox: What is the International Criminal Court?
