Duterte says he has no personal grudge against Pangilinan

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said he has no personal grudge against opposition Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, whom he recently called as the “most stupid” lawyer.

Duterte made the remark as he again vent ire on Pangilinan for authoring the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act which exempts minors below 15 years old from criminal liability.

Speaking at the founding anniversary of Army Reserve Command in Camp Regio de Dios, Tanza, Cavite, Duterte recounted how his “friend” Pangilinan helped him persuade the senator’s wife, Sharon Cuneta, to sing at the birthday party of Presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

“Ang mga anak natin, kung hindi mo gawin, walang alam kung magkaupakan. Hindi nga marunong magkasa ng baril. What will happen? Ang nangyari nito, sinasabi ni Pangilinan. Kaibigan ko si Pangilinan. May utang na loob ako sa kanya kasi iyang si Mayor Inday, birthday niyan, second year pa. Alam mo, the only daughter noon,” Duterte said.

(Our children… you do not know what to expect. They don’t even know how to hold a gun. What will happen?  Pangilinan is my friend. I am indebted to him because there was a request from Mayor Inday for her birthday. You know, she’s my only daughter then.)

“Sabi ko, ’Day, anong gusto mong birthday?’ Sabi niya, “Gusto ko Pa, magpunta si Sharon Cuneta, magkain kami tapos magkantahan kami.” So ako naman— anak eh. Kayo may anak kayo. Sabi ko— tinawagan ko si Pangilinan. Pumayag siya,” he recounted.

(I asked her what she wants for her birthday. She said she wants Sharon Cuneta to attend the party. You know, she is my daughter. You have children also. So I called Pangilinan. He agreed.)

Duterte then stressed that there was nothing personal between him and the Liberal party president.

“For all I care, he can become the president of the Republic of the Philippines. Wala akong personal sa inyo. Kay kung may personal ako sa iyo, sa totoo lang, matagal na kitang sinuntok ( If I have personal grduges against you I would have punched you a long time ago),’ he said.

In his speeches, Duterte has been criticizing Pangilinan for authoring the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, which he has blamed for the rise of crimes perpetuated by minors. /ee

READ: LP president Kiko Pangilinan ‘most stupid’ lawyer – Duterte