Senator Leila de Lima and President Rodrigo Duterte. FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte is the “biggest crisis” that has befallen the country, opposition Sen. Leila de Lima said Thursday as she renewed her call for him to “step down” amid his “oft-repeated empty claims of being exhausted of fighting criminality in the country.”
“Kung pagod ka na, Ginoong Duterte, mag-resign ka na lang. Pagod na pagod na rin ang bansa sa mga drama at kabuktutan mo. Si Duterte ang pinakamalaking krisis na nangyari at nangyayari sa bansa,” the staunch administration critic said in a dispatch from Camp Crame in Quezon City where she is detained for drug charges
De Lima made the claim that the “nation was sick and tired of the drama and perversion” of Duterte two weeks after a Social Weather Station survey showed a 16-point jump in the satisfaction rating of his administration.
READ: SWS: Duterte admin’s satisfaction rating up by 16 points in December 2018
A week before his 74th birthday on March 28, Duterte, at a campaign sortie of PDP-Laban, said he was willing to cut short his six-year term because he was already feeling tired from solving the issues in relation to his war on drugs.
“Ako matanda na. Ngayong buwan na ito mag 74 na ako. P***** i** mo kasing pagod na ako sa inyo (drug lords and other criminals). Naghahanap lang ako ng lusot. Ke magbarilan tayo o kaya — p***** i** ‘wag ninyo akong…,” Duterte said in a speech in Marikina.
“Naghahanap lang ako talaga ng lusot na para makapagpahinga na. Pagod na rin ako kaya do not f*** with me.”
READ: Duterte: Drug problem in PH has ‘worsened’
In August 2018, the Chief Executive also expressed interest to relinquish his post before his term ends in 2022 due to corruption issues in government.
READ: Duterte: I’m thinking of quitting the presidency
He also threatened to resign if women would protest his controversial kiss involving a Filipino worker in South Korea and if anyone who has gone to see God and have a “selfie” with Him would come back and prove God’s existence.
During the 2016 campaign period and at the beginning of his term, Duterte also promised to resign if he could not rid the country of drugs and criminality after three to six months. He later admitted he was wrong to say he could end the illegal drug trade in six months. /cbb
READ: Duterte admits he was wrong on 3-6 months drug war deadline | Duterte admits drug problem won’t end under his watch