Palace says if Duterte can endorse, he can campaign against anybody too

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte has mocked the “Otso Diretso” slate, discredited the qualifications of the opposition group’s senatorial bets, branded some of them as communists and bossy – candidates who know nothing but criticize the government.

He even proclaimed Otso Diretso would go directly to hell.

And some people wondered, is this the new campaign strategy of the President to promote administration bets?

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte does not have any strategy, adding the President is just “a very frank person.”

“You must remember that the President has his own candidates. And under the law, he can endorse or campaign against. So there is nothing wrong, as far as I am concerned, he is doing his feel,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing on Monday.

“Ang feel niya hindi karapat-dapat itong mga kalaban ng kandidato niya, ano namang masama doon, eh lahat naman, eh kung iyong mga senador sa kabila, binabanatan diyan siya, ganoon talaga ang eleksyon,” he added.

The Palace official also said the President was also joking when he said the opposition bets would go straight to hell.

“Baka naman nagpapatawa lang iyong mama,” he said.

“Oh, eh alam mo naman iyon, palagi naman nagpapatawa iyon pagdating diyan sa mga ganyan eh,” he added.

During a speech in PDP-Laban’s campaign sortie in Zamboanga City late Sunday night, Duterte said the Otso Diretso slate is headed to hell.

READ: Duterte mocks opposition slate: ‘Otso Diretso’ to ‘hell’

He even unleashed scathing remarks against Otso Diretso candidates.

But Otso Diretso members hit back at Duterte.

They said it is the job of the opposition to criticize government, especially its failings, and told Duterte not to be onion-skinned.

They also revived their challenge to administration senatorial candidates to meet them in a debate and not hide “under the skirt of Duterte.” /kga

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