President Rodrigo Duterte delivers a speech during the PDP-Laban campaign rally on February 23, 2019, at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan City, Laguna. (Photo by RICHARD MADELO / Presidential Photographers Division)
MANILA, Philippines — Two days after mocking the Otso Diretso senatorial candidates by discrediting their qualifications, President Rodrigo Duterte slammed them again — this time accusing them of resorting to black propaganda.
READ: Duterte mocks opposition slate: ‘Otso Diretso’ to ‘hell
“Kaya ‘yung opposition mautak man sana. but their penchant to be just at the other side,” Duterte said during the campaign rally of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) in Bangued, Abra.
[The opposition candidates might be brainy, but their penchant is to be just at the other side.]
“Their victory next year hinges on the way how they attack people and the propensity to paint you in another dimension,” he added.
Duterte reiterated that opposition bets had done nothing but to criticize the administration bets.
“They want to appear white: “Kami puti, malinis.” So ‘yung kalaban niya pinturahan niya ng itim,” he said.
[They want to appear white: We’re white, we’re clean. So they paint their opponents black.]
“You’ll just paint your opponent black and you appear white,” he added. “Ganoon talaga. And sadly, sayang ‘yung utak nila. At ‘yung iba naman walang ginawa.”
[That’s the way it is. And sadly, they’re wasting their intelligence. And others are really doing nothing.]
The President cited how Manuel “Mar” Roxas II held various government positions in previous administrations but did nothing.
“He got into the wrong company,” the President said, saying that the former senior aide of Roxas — Lt. Gen. Marcelo Garbo — was involved in the illegal drug trade.
He also slammed lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, saying: “Hindi ito nagmana sa tatay. Ang tatay nito tigas. Si [former Sen. Jose] W. Diokno, ‘yon ang talagang saludo ako. Pero itong si Chel Diokno, walang ginawa ito kung hindi mag-participate ng rally. Sino palang maligayahan niyan?”
[He got nothing from his father. His father was tough. Jose W. Diokno — that’s who I really salute. But Chel Diokno did nothing but participate in rallies. Who will be happy with him?]
Chel Diokno’s late father is considered as a democracy icon.
The President also mocked the qualifications of former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay and election lawyer Romulo Macalintal.
“Hilbay — anong ginawa ni Hilbay? Si Macalintal, ‘yung abugado na pamarunong-marunong — anong ginawa niyan kung hindi mag-demanda ng mga opisyal,” he said.
[Hilbay — what did Hilbay do? Macalintal, the lawyer who pretends to know something — what did he ever do but sue officials.]
He also hit Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam”Aquino IV as someone who had left no legacy as a senator.
“Bam Aquino, sige lang daldal. Wala man ring iniwan na maganda. Wala naman. Hanapbuhay? Hindi kanya ’yan,” the President said.
[Bam Aquino just keeps talking. But he left nothing good. Nothing. Jobs? He did not create them.]
He also hit Erin Tañada for doing nothing, saying: “Iyan pa si Tañada, hanggang ngayon… mahuli diyan na mga komunista, nandiyan siya… Wala ’yang trabaho kung hindi counsel ng mga komunista. Walang ginawa. Anong ginawa ni Tañada?”
[That Tañada, up to now… if a communist gets caught, he’s there… He has done thing but be a counsel for the communists. He did nothing. What has Tañada done?]
He also told the public to avoid Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, along with Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, saying: “Si Alejano? Naku. Sila ni Trillanes? ‘Yang Magdalo, iwasan talaga ninyo ‘yan,” he said.
[Alejano? With Trillanes? You should really avoid those in Magdalo.]
Asked if this is the new campaign strategy of the chief executive, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing on Tuesday that the President could always campaign for or against a candidate.
Panelo added that the President was just “a very frank person.” /atm
READ: Palace says if Duterte can endorse, he can campaign against anybody too