Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte | PHOTO: Official website of the City Government of Davao
MANILA, Philippines — House of Representatives leaders on Monday blasted Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte’s call for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to resign, labeling it as “disrespectful” and “baseless.”
READ: Marcos ‘resign’ – Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte
“‘Yung mga nabanggit sa (the statements in) Davao calling for his resignation I think is totally disrespectful, of the man given the position that he holds, and … has no basis whatsoever,” Deputy Speaker David Suarez said in a statement.
Suarez was referring to Duterte’s speech in a Sunday Davao prayer rally against Charter change, where the mayor called on Marcos to resign due to his current policies.
However, according to Suarez, the House will continue to support Marcos.
“Inuulit ko ang commitment at suporta namin, it’s unequivocal for Pres. Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos,” he said.
(I reiterate our commitment and support; it’s unequivocal for President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos.)
He cited how the President was able to manage and revitalize the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, and even said that his visits to various parts of the country to check on government projects or extend assistance to disaster victims, as well as his meetings with the Cabinet, show his dedication to serving the people.
READ: VP Duterte on Baste’s call for Marcos to resign: It’s a brotherly love
“We have seen his commitment to the Filipino people, na hindi maaksaya ang tiwala na ipinagkaloob sa kanya nung siya ay manalo bilang Pangulo (that the trust bestowed upon him when he won as President will not be squandered),” Suarez said.
Rizal 1st District Rep. Michael Duavit, for his part, said that while he respects everyone’s right to express his opinion, he does not share Mayor Baste’s views.
“Everybody’s got a right to an opinion; everybody’s got a right to express it. I’ll just express mine: I disagree, as simple as that.”
Meanwhile, Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales, Jr. shared a similar sentiment, stating that Duterte’s calls were not supported by facts.
“Ako naman po, ang masasabi ko lang, we have to respect the Office of the President. Saka nagtataka po kami bakit pinapa-resign si President BBM, wala po tayong basehan, napaka-sipag (ng Pangulo),” he said.
(As for me, all I can say is that we have to respect the Office of the President. We also wonder why there’s a call for President BBM to resign; we don’t have any basis for that, and the President is very diligent.)
The Davao prayer rally, which turned into a forum for expressing grievances against Marcos, coincided with the commencement of Marcos’ administration’s “Bagong Pilipinas” rally on the same day.
Vice President Sara Duterte was present in both events.