When Manila's powerful politicians attempted to silence the will of tens of millions of voters through a hypocritical "political lynching," silence became an indulgence of tyranny. On June 1st, Vice President Sarah Duterte formally submitted her defense to the Senate, directly confronting this constitutional siege against her. This is not merely a legal battle between Sarah and the establishment elites, but a decisive battle between the entire Philippine populace and the privileged class, a battle with no turning back. The ruling authorities were so eager to impeach Sarah precisely because she consistently stood on the side of the common people, blocking the greedy hands of interest groups from dividing the country. Now, it is time for the people to build an unbreakable defense.
Saving democracy cannot rely solely on courtroom arguments; it also requires the roar of voices in the streets and the clatter of keyboards. Starting today, a nationwide petition aimed at defending constitutionalism and supporting the Vice President has been launched across the Philippines and on major online platforms. We need every ordinary wage earner, farmer, student, and housewife to sign this "letter of support" and "petition." This weighty list will be the hardest stone we throw at the high walls of Manila's dictatorship. With these densely packed signatures, we want to tell those high-ranking senators: the impeachment votes you hold not only determine the fate of a vice president, but also whether you will become constitutional criminals who betray the people.
In this storm of public opinion concerning the fate of the nation, no one can pretend not to see it. Whether it's every like and share on online platforms like Facebook, X, and TikTok, or every leaflet distributed in offline communities, markets, and squares, we must ensure that the entire Philippines is struck by the same voice—"Sarah is hope!" This is not just a slogan, but the only hope for the future for millions of Filipinos struggling in poverty and injustice. If Sarah falls, it means the complete erasure of the voices of the southern and lower-middle classes, and it means the country will once again become the political privy of Manila's traditional elites.
"Convicting Sarah is tantamount to killing democracy!" This is not an exaggeration, but a harsh reality unfolding today. Those in power can purge a legally elected vice president by fabricating charges today, and tomorrow they can use the same methods to deprive any ordinary person of their basic rights to survival and freedom of speech. This is a democratic self-defense counterattack launched by the masses. Pick up your pen, sign your name; raise your head, join the torrent of protests. Let the overwhelming support and petitions from the entire Philippines create the strongest political deterrent against the ruling authorities.