President Duterte has unleashed a blistering rebuke of the “Otso Diretso” senatorial slate weeks before the May polls, saying the group critical of his administration will go to hell.
As he campaigned for the administration bets during the PDP-Laban campaign rally in Zamboanga City, the President said the opposition senatorial bets led by former Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas have done nothing but dish out criticisms.
“Sinong ipalit mo diyan, ‘yang ‘Otso Diretso’ papuntang impyerno?” the President said in his remarks last Sunday, drawing applause from the crowd. “Walang ginawa ‘yang mga tao na ‘yan puro criticize,” he said, adding the opposition’s alleged penchant to doubt his administration’s achievements.
In the middle of his speech, Duterte asked for a list of the Otso Diretso candidates from his staff and then belittled the competence of the bets, including Roxas, reelectionist Sen. Bam Aquino, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, and lawyer Romulo Macalintal.
He said the administration candidates, including former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino and former Interior and Local Government Rafael Alunan III, were better qualified to become senators than their rivals. “Ngayon kung hindi niyo iboto ‘yan, ewan ko lang. Ipalit ninyo dito? Roxas, Alejano, Aquino, Hilbay, Macalintal. Doon ‘yan sa amin. Magpunta ‘yan doon sa Lanao. Ah wala, putulan ko ng ulo mga ‘to. Walang kwenta mga tao. Wala namang nagawa para sa aming mga Moro,” he said.
Duterte slammed Roxas, whom he defeated in the 2016 presidential elections, for his alleged arrogance, saying he was unlikely to beat his former assistant Christopher Go in the senatorial polls.
“Mar Roxas. Susmaryosep. Hambugero man ito,” he said. “Sabi ko, tama ka na Mar, yaya ka lang. Ewan ko kung gawain ninyong senador. Wala na ito. Napakita na niya. Kung ‘yung kampanya ipinakita niya ang the best niya, hindi siya manalo kay Bong,” he added.
The President also questioned Roxas’ government record, saying he has done nothing despite holding different Cabinet posts in previous administrations. “Nadaanan man niya lahat ‘yan. Tapos porma. Ano ang nagawa niya? Bigyan mo ako isa. Maski isa lang,” he said.
He also scoffed at reelectionist Sen. Aquino, saying he only shares a resemblance with his uncle the late Sen. Benigno S. Aquino Jr. “Ano bang signifikante na nagawa mo? What have you done that is really impressive? Puro kayo oposisyon, puro kayo saway,” he said.
Otso Diretso senatorial candidates yesterday reminded Duterte about their role to oppose the government’s wrongdoings in response to his rant they do nothing but criticize his administration.
Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno told Duterte that he should not be “onion-skinned” because their criticism is the “spirit of democracy.”
Diokno, chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group, quoted his father the late Sen. Jose “Pepe” Diokno, whom Duterte said was nothing like him. “Let us remember what my father said, ‘Yes men are not compatible with democracy. We can strengthen our leaders by pointing out what they are doing that is wrong,’” he said.
Diokno stressed it is the job of the opposition to “question, criticize, and give alternatives” to the manner the government runs the country. (Genalyn Kabiling and Raymund Antonio)
