NO TO DUTERTE AT BIDEN'S SUMMIT FOR DEMOCRACY

Anakbayan-USA condemns Biden’s invitation and Duterte’s acceptance to the administration’s “Summit for Democracy.” Duterte has nothing to show or share about what it means to uphold a democracy. And Biden continues to show, by inviting Duterte to this Summit, that he, too, has no interest in democracy. In fact, Biden’s invitation represents a stamp of approval for Duterte’s crimes against the Filipino people.

Duterte has shown in his tenure as president that he has no interest in upholding the democratic rights of the Filipino people. Duterte’s war on drugs, Anti Terror Law, creation of the NTF-ELCAC, declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao, and more have shown that Duterte’s only interest in democracy is how to trample on it in order to maintain power. Anakbayan finds it laughable that Biden wants to hear Duterte’s ideas on fostering “a more democratic, equitable, inclusive and sustainable world.” 

Under the Duterte regime, we have seen more and more killings of human rights organizers, jailing of union leaders, and bombings of peasant and indigenous communities. We have witnessed a militarized response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a criminal neglect of people’s needs.

The national and international clamor against the Duterte administration in recent months has led to its diplomatic isolation in the international arena—from the International Criminal Court’s authorization to conduct an investigation on the Duterte government’s crimes against humanity, to the UN’s rejection of Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque to join the its International Law Commission. Duterte’s acceptance of Biden’s invitation is a last-ditch attempt in the remaining months of his presidency to soften his image. It is up to us to make it clear to the world that Duterte’s image is stained with blood and corruption. 

We invite Filipino youth in the US to join local Anakbayan chapters and other organizations in mobilizing on International Human Rights Day on December 10 to share the true democratic aspirations of the people in the US, to condemn Biden’s decision to invite the fascist Duterte, and expose this summit for the sham that it is. 

Sign onto the action letter demanding Biden rescind his invitation to Duterte at: tinyurl.com/nodutertesummit 

Learn how to take more action at: linktr.ee/wakasanna.us

#DuterteWakasan

#NoDuterteAtSummit

#StopTheKillingsPH