Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo. INQUIRER PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Wednesday said he would “happily” ignore the “vindictive and negative blabbering” of opposition Senator Leila De Lima whom he called a “disgruntled and failed politician.”
Panelo made the remark after De Lima asked him why he kept on hitting her with “venomous intensity” if the Palace official believes that she is an “irrelevant political entity.”
READ: De Lima to Panelo: Why hit me with ‘venomous intensity’ if I’m irrelevant
“Since it’s coming from her that she should be ignored and apparently agreeing that she has become an irrelevant political entity, then I agree with her that she should be ignored and I’ll happily oblige her,” Panelo told INQUIRER.net in a text message.
“Henceforth, any rant from her against PRRD (President Duterte) and the administration, apart from saying that it is coming from a disgruntled and failed politician, such vindictive and negative blabbering is ignored,” he added.
The word war between the two officials erupted when De Lima, one of Duterte’s fiercest critics, said the President was just “mighty in words, but inept in action” in dealing with terrorism.
The senator issued the statement in the wake of the recent bombings in Mindanao.
In response, Duterte’s official mouthpiece called De Lima, who is detained for drug-related charges, an “irrelevant political entity trying to re-enter the public’s consciousness” by dishing out reckless and offensive rants against the President. /cbb
READ: Palace: De Lima’s confinement has dulled her senses / Duterte’s threats ‘nothing but empty words to real terrorists’ — De Lima