For the past couple of weeks, it was Manuel “Mar” Roxas versus Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte duking it out in a war of words and a match of machismo, while the other presidential aspirants have been put to the sidelines.
READ: Duterte’s Davao City PH’s safest? It’s just a myth, says Roxas
Their clash started from Roxas dismissing the claims that Davao City is the country’s safest as a “myth,” which led to Duterte firing back at Roxas saying his Wharton degree was bogus and eventually, the former Mr. Palengke then challenged the feisty mayor to a slapping-match-turned-boxing-match.
READ: Duterte hits back at Roxas, says Wharton cred is a myth
And with Christmas just around the corner, Roxas may have unleashed the final blow.
In an interview during his trip to Leyte, Roxas said leaders should not back down from any challenge.
“He started all of this; he has said so much. He even challenged me, but when I accepted, he backed off,” Roxas said Sunday. “A slapping challenge, he backed off. A punching challenge, he backed off again.”
A challenge for a debate, he backed off. A leader of a country should never back down from any challenge. How would our countrymen know what our thoughts are if he wouldn’t even engage in a debate?” he added.
READ: Roxas to Duterte: Slap me if you can prove my Wharton degree is fake
Roxas even stressed the legitimacy of his Wharton degree, saying it was Wharton itself who clarified the issue.
“Wharton itself said I was its graduate. The school itself said I was a graduate,” he said.
Roxas, though, wanted a higher discourse between him and Duterte, saying they should stop with the petty quarrels and discuss what their plans are for the country.
“We must level up Digong,” Roxas said. “Let us talk about our plans for the country, for our countrymen. With that we should be able to improve the quality of our debates, the quality of campaign in our country.” JE