Don’t vote for Pangilinan, Gordon in 2022, Duterte urges voters

MANILA, Philippines — Don’t vote for Senators Francis Pangilinan and Richard Gordon in the 2022 elections, President Rodrigo Duterte urged voters during his weekly taped “Talk to the People” that aired late Tuesday night.

The president criticized Pangilinan again for his Juvenile Justice Welfare Act, saying that it leads to the youth committing crimes.

“Our problem now is the robbers that you see on boulevards snatching stuff and running who are caught on camera. Do you know why they are so bold to do that daring? Because in their experience previously, under the Pangilinan law, they are not imprisoned,” Duterte said, speaking in a mix of Filipino and English.

“Actually, don’t vote for those two — Gordon and Pangilinan. They have been in the Senate for a long time. Remove them… They seem to have similar brains. This Pangilinan really does not use his brain,” he went on.

Duterte did not elaborate on why he wanted Gordon out of the Senate.

But in his previous televised addresses, the president lambasted Gordon for his investigation of the government’s allegedly irregular contracts with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. to provide medical supplies amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the other hand, Pangilinan is not running for reelection in the Senate. He is instead seeking the vice presidency in the upcoming 2022 elections, as the running mate of Vice President Leni Robredo, who aims to be Duterte’s successor.

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ATM