MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte is willing to give his law enforcement power to Vice President Leni Robredo for the “remaining days” of his term.
“Bakit ko bigyan si Leni ng six months? Eh ‘di bigay ko lahat ng remaining days of my term kung gusto niya,” Duterte told reporters in Davao City after visiting the tomb of his parents.
(Why give Leny six months? I can give her the remaining days of my term if she wishes so.)
Duterte on Monday said he was offering Robredo to be his drug czar and give her “full powers” to run the government’s war on drugs for six months.
In reaction, Robredo said Duterte won’t pass the government’s drug war to her if it wasn’t a failure.
Asked why he would pass the power to lead the anti-narcotics to Robredo, he said “Siya yung madaldal, eh.”
(She’s the one who talks a lot.)
“Baka may alam siyang mas mabuting… If she knows a better method of dealing with the problem, then baka may alam talaga,” he said.
(Maybe she had a better idea….she might know something.)
“If you criticize, you must have the answer. If you question, you must have the answer. ‘Wag ka magdala ng problema sa akin,” he added.
(Don’t give me problems.)
Duterte went on and dared his critics to offer suggestions to improve the government’s war on drugs.
“‘Presidente, ganito ganito ganito ganito.’ Tanong kita, ‘Oh, sige. Ano ang mabuting gawin natin?’ Ayan ang tanong ko sa kanya ngayon. Eh, madaldal ka doon. Nagdadaldal ka sa labas,” he said.
(‘Mr. President, you do this, you do that’…I’ll ask you: ‘OK, go ahead.’ ‘What’s the best thing we should do’. That will be my question to her. She’s so talkative.)
But if Robredo is just politicking, Duterte said he would tell Filipinos not to vote for her.
“But ang hindi ko malaman kung namumulitika ka. Pero kung namulitika, alam mo sabihin sa Pilipino? Putang ina. ‘Wag kayo magboto diyan kay Leni. Kawawa kayo,” he said.
(I don’t know if you’re just playing politics. But if that’s your motive, do you know what I would tell to the Filipino people? Don’t vote for Leni. You’ll be sorry.)