I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I lay my vengeance upon them.” Ezekiel 25:17 ESV

It has been more than 5 years that Rodrigo Duterte was elected to office. Campaign promises and strong statements were rendered that made the Filipinos believed and adored him. He declared the rapid elimination of drugs, the end of contractualization, a swift eradication of poverty, the strong message against the China’s occupation of the West Philippines Sea and the promise of peace through the resumption of the formal peace negotiation. Duterte disguises himself and pretends as the first leftist president and one with the oppressed and neglected in the Philippine society. The great devilment and fraud of this regime.

Within a short period of time, Duterte launched his nationwide anti-drug campaign and killed over 30,000 people. The suffering and the anguish of the workers still remains as labor force were felt betrayed by the promise of ending contractualization and the neglect to the workers who are at the forefront fighting the pandemic. The abandonment and gross negligence of the regime in addressing the pandemic and structures of society that escalates the oppression of the poor Filipino people that displayed during this crisis and pandemic. His continuous puppetry to his imperialist masters in the United States of America that still in controls of the economy. His continuous boot-licking to the rising imperialist China who he declared no power to argue and insist the decision of the International tribunal court over the territorial disputes. The promise of peace that replaced by the Anti-Terrorism Law and the continuous gross human rights violations, arbitrary arrest and detention, extra judicial and summary killings to the human rights defenders and activist.

These violations are not inseparable to the Church. As the indigenous people, union leaders, peasants, human rights activist, students, were victims of witch-hunt by this regime, the persecution of the Church also began. Bishops, priest, pastors and Church lay members have been intimidated, harassed, imprisoned and killed. Catholic priests, protestant pastors and among their church membership were killed under the Duterte regime for their prophetic ministry in relation to the environment, human rights and indigenous people pastoral responses. Churches like the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Iglesia Filipina Independiente were tagged as terrorists by the fascist state. Illegal arrests among the Church people were experienced.

The aforementioned situation of the Filipinos shows how this Duterte Administration, neglected and ignored the suffering of the people. He is the problem. Duterte is the murderer and terrorist together with his puppet state forces. He committed grave human rights violations. He is a traitor to our sovereignty and to the Filipino people. The resistance of Filipino people, the tens of thousands protest actions on the streets even in this time of pandemic portrays the repugnance of the people to this regime. The creation of the one united front opposition that declares the end of the Duterte Regime displayed the detestation of the people. The continuing division and factions of the ruling classes in the government positions to capture the center of the political power.

As the prophets of the today, the Christians for National Liberation (CNL), a political underground organization of church people, joins the Churches and the toiling masses to mark the end of this regime to guide our membership on this forthcoming election. As a Church we must lead our membership on discerning and maturity in faith to vote and choose people that will alleviate our nation from this regime.

Amidst these the CNL continues to uphold the call for genuine change that will eliminate the classes of oppression to wage the struggle and advance the aspirations to end the current semi-colonial and semi-feudal system and structures of society brought by the “unholy trinity”: Imperialism, Feudalism and Bureaucratic-capitalism. We uphold the call to continuously participate in the democratic revolutionary struggle of the people to end the current state of semi-feudal and semi colonial society and uphold the interest of the broader masses.