Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano. Ryan Leagogo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Senatorial candidate Gary Alejano has countered President Rodrigo Duterte’s tirades against him, clapping back that he argues with basis and supplements them with action unlike the Chief Executive.
Duterte criticized Alejano for “talking non-sense” during PDP-Laban’s campaign sortie in Zamboanga City last Sunday night.
But Alejano, a Magdalo party-list representative, retaliated by citing Duterte’s allegedly empty campaign promises of ending the drug trade in the country in 3 to 6 months and jet-skiing to the West Philippine Sea.
“Ang aking mga salita ay may basehan at tinatapatan ng gawa. Hindi ito tulad ng pagpapangakong mag-jetski at ipaglalaban ang West Philippine Sea pero sa huli ay yuyuko sa mga kagustuhan ng China kapalit ng pautang mula sa kanila,” the former military man said in a message to reporters.
“Hindi ito tulad ng pagpapangakong tapusin ang kriminalidad at ang ilegal na droga sa loob ng 3 to 6 months. Magtatatlong taon na. Nilinlang mo (Duterte) lang ang taumbayan,” he added.
Alejano, who is running for senator under the opposition group “Otso Diretso,” further said: “Ang walang sense sa akin ay mga lider na puro kabastusan at panlalait ang lumalabas sa bibig at gusto pang palakpakan ng tao ang paguugaling taliwas sa asal ng isang Pilipino.”
“Ang eleksyon sa Mayo ay hindi nakasentro sa’yo na ang tingin mo sa qualifications ng mga tumatakbo ay iyong tatahimik at tatango-tango sa mga kagustuhan mo. Ang eleksiyong ito ay para sa kinabukasan ng mga Pilipino.”
“Seryoso ang paggawa ng mga batas na makakatulong sa mga Pilipino. Huwag natin itong gawing komedya. Now, look who’s talking,” he also said.
During a speech in PDP-Laban’s campaign sortie in Zamboanga City, Duterte said the Otso Diretso slate is headed to hell.
He even unleashed scathing remarks against Otso Diretso candidates, including Alejano, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).
“Alejano, walang sense talaga magsalita. Marunong mag-English kasi PMA-er eh. Lelechonin talaga ‘yan sila doon,” Duterte said.
“Kaya huwag kayong magkamali ‘yang Magdalo na ‘yan. Tingnan mo Magdalo nag-revolt diyan sa Makati, sigaw-sigaw pa si Trillanes, pagdating ng pulis, nag- surrender,” he added.
READ: Duterte mocks opposition slate: ‘Otso Diresto’ to ‘hell’
But Alejano said Duterte should not mock Magdalo’s uprising and reminded him that their actions led to reforms in the military.
“Nais ko lang paalalahanan ang Pangulong Duterte na huwag maliitin ang sakripisyo ng Magdalo at ng mga sundalo. Ang aming pag aklas ay dahil sa talamak na kurapsyon sa gobyerno at kakulangan ng suporta sa mga tropa sa frontlines,” he said.
“I appreciate what you are doing for our military and uniformed personnel, but let me remind you that it should not result to personal loyalty to you. Hindi nabibili ang pagsilbi at pagmamahal sa bayan,” he added.
Other Otso Diretso candidates – Florin Hilbay, Chel Diokno, and Samira Gutoc – have already given their reactions to Duterte’s ridicule of their group.
Hilbay and Diokno stressed it is the opposition’s job to issue criticisms against the government. Meanwhile, Gutoc — who was spared from Duterte’s tongue-lashing — thanked the President for respect, but reiterated her appeal for him to stop his administration’s bloody drug war. /kga
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