Hontiveros dubs Panelo as ‘Duterte translator’

MANILA, Philippines — “Kung may Google translator may Duterte translator din. Yan si Secretary Sal Panelo.”

So said Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday after President Rodrigo Duterte claimed Tuesday he ordered the ambush of former Daanbantayan, Cebu mayor Vicente Loot.

READ: Duterte says he ordered ambush of ex-mayor Loot

But Panelo on Wednesday defended Duterte, explaining that the President’s pronouncement was not an admission of having a hand in the ambush and that the chief executive  only “misspeaks” the Filipino language which is not his native tongue.

READ: Panelo blames Duterte’s misspeak for Loot ambush remark

“Kapag sinabi ng Pangulo ang kulay ay pula, kay Secretary Panelo, ito ay itim. Kapag nambastos ng kababaihan ang Pangulo, joke lang ito kay Secretary Panelo. Kapag umamin ng pagpatay ang Pangulo, slip of the tongue lang ito kay Secretary Panelo,” Hontiveros said.

“Pero may ‘lost in translation’ diyan. At ang lost ay ang katotohanan,” she added.

In a statement, Panelo explained that what Duterte intended to say was: “Inambush ka na, buhay ka pa” instead of “Inambush kita, buhay ka pa.”

“The Filipino nation by this time is already familiar and used to the language of the President who invariably uses a mixture of English, Bisaya (Cebuano dialect) and Filipino in communicating with the nation,” Panelo explained.

Loot and his family survived the ambushed in Daanbatayan last May 2018./ac

READ: Convoy of Cebu mayor on Duterte drug list ambushed