MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday night accused veteran human-rights lawyer Chel Diokno and members of the opposition for supposedly resorting to black propaganda as the government grapples with solutions to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.
Duterte spent a chunk of his unannounced late-night public address slamming and hurling invectives at Diokno who has taken on the case of a netizen who was being summoned by the National Bureau of Investigation for airing his sentiments against the government on social media particularly on the alleged misuse of government funds.
The President said Diokno and his colleagues in the opposition are pouncing on the COVID-19 crisis to gain political advantage for the 2022 elections.
“Itong si Chel Diokno sinabi pa niya sige ako mag-depensa sa inyo. Alam mo Chel Diokno, kayong opposition dilaw, huwag niyo pilitin ang pagkatao niyo sa gobyerno,” Duterte said.
(This Chel Diokno, he even stated to defend these people. You know what, Chel Diokno, you in the yellow opposition, do not insist in putting yourselves in government.)
“Kayo nag-sige tagatakbo ng black propagada kasi malapit na eleksyon, sabihin ko ngayon sa mga taong Pilipino, kung iyan ang ipalit niyo sa sunod na eleksyon, torpe talaga ang Pilipino,” he added.
(All of you who are pursuing black propaganda because election is coming, I will tell the Filipino people now, if you are going to choose them to replace the people in government in the coming elections, then Filipinos are really sheepish.)
At one point in his speech, Duterte even ridiculed Diokno’s appearance, saying that the former opposition senatorial candidate is buck-toothed and talks like a janitor.
“Kung magsalita ka para kang, wag lang mainsulto kayong mga janitor…ito si Diokno magsalita parang janitor,” Duterte said.
“Alam mo kung bakit hindi ka nanalo? Kasi kalaki ng ngipin mo. Magsalita kalahati ng panga mo lumalabas,” he added.
(If you talk you are like, I hope janitors would not get insulted…Diokno is talking like a janitor. You know why you didn’t win in the last elections? Because you have big teeth. The way you talk, half of your jaw is showing.)