FILE PHOTO: Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte. ALBERT ALCAIN/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
DAVAO CITY — “Address the question Baste,” vice presidential contender Walden Bello told Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte after the latter released a statement reacting to Bello’s entry to the legislative building’s session hall here.
The vice mayor was reacting to Bello’s entry into the SP building’s session hall, where Bello reportedly went up to sit at the presiding officer’s chair and banged the gavel.
“The session is open to anyone who desires to attend and observe the proceedings of the council when the Sanggunian is in session and when it is not, entry to the hall is subject to prior coordination with the SP secretary,” Duterte said.
“This morning, Mr. Walden Bello and his company entered the premises of the city council session hall without prior coordination, went up to the presiding officer’s chair, and banged the gavel,” his statement read. He also said the SP security asked Bello and his company to leave the hall afterward.
Duterte said it was not clear to him what Bello’s intentions were.“It is campaign season and this may be their way to gain traction and attention to their ailing campaign or (there might be other reasons) only known to them. Makita ra ninyo kung unsang klase ni nga mga tawo (You will know what kind of persons these people are),” he added.
“We live in a democratic society where everyone must be treated fairly and equally,” he also said. “Despite the council’s resolution declaring Mr. Walden Bello as persona non grata, he was treated with a fair degree of tolerance and respect like any other transacting citizen.”
But according to Bello, Duterte was only evading the issue.
“Vice Mayor Baste Duterte’s statement on my entry into the Davao legislative house evades the issues,” Bello said on his Facebook page. “What was his sister’s aide doing at a party raided for drugs by PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority)? How did his city become the drug capital of the South?” asked Bello, who was here to answer the cyber libel filed against him by former city information officer Jefry Tupas. “Address the questions, Baste,” he said. “Don’t be like your sister, huwag maging talawan (don’t be such a coward),” he added, referring to Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s refusal to face the national debate.
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