Liberal Party presidential bet Mar Roxas. SCREENGRAB FROM INQUIRER VIDEO
Presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday slammed his rival, Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, calling him a “failed politician,” even as the former’s camp tagged the latter as an “accomplice” of drug lords and pushers.
Duterte ridiculed Roxas, saying he could not curb illegal drugs even if he would be given 20 years to do it.
“He can never do it. Give him 20 years and won’t still be able to hack it,” said Duterte, whose campaign for the country’s top post is hinged on a promise to rid the country of corruption, drugs and criminality in six months or less.
READ: Duterte: Kill me if I fail to bust crime, corruption in 6 months
The tough-talking mayor issued the statement after Roxas slammed his anti-illegal drugs campaign in Davao City as mayor.
“May droga sa Davao ngayon. Ngayon lang, gusto mo samahan kita e, makakabili tayo ng droga sa Davao e,” Roxas told reporters in an ambush interview after the presidential debate in Cagayan de Oro City on Sunday.
(Drugs are rampant in Davao. Right now, I can accompany you and we can buy drugs there.)
But Duterte’s camp brushed off Roxas’ statement.
READ: Duterte camp says Roxas’ claims on illegal drugs in Davao City ‘pathetic’
Duterte’s camp said his anti-drugs campaign is anchored on effective intelligence network and diligent police work that make the city a hard market to penetrate for drug operators.
Over the weekend, a Lanao del Sur couple was nabbed in Davao City with almost P500,000 worth of shabu (methamphetamine) at the Task Force Davao checkpoint in Toril by a special unit of the military funded by the city government to curb terrorism and other criminal activities.
Peter Laviña, Duterte’s spokesman, said that Roxas, a former Interior secretary, failed to curb the drug menace in the country.
“For someone who once headed the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Mar’s knowledge (of) and inaction (to) Davao’s illegal drugs make him an accomplice and a protector of drug lords and their drug pushers,” Laviña said.
“Mar is showing he is not fit to be the leader of our country,” he added.
He said Roxas “did not only exhibit irresponsible citizenship by not reporting to authorities where drugs are being peddled, he has, in fact, become an accomplice in protecting drug lords and drug pushers.”
Roxas said Davao’s crime incidence is 4th highest in the Philippines, but the Davao City Police Office has already said the high volume of crimes recorded in the city in 2015 was because the local police was successful in doing its job.
Laviña said Roxas tarnishes the reputation of Duterte and Davao City to make himself appear good.
“He is painting others black so he will look white,” he said.
If indeed Roxas’ claims were true, Laviña said he “should (have not stripped) himself of the responsibility to curb illegal drugs or stop criminality as the former secretary DILG.”
“What has he done as Secretary of DILG and as chairman of the National Police Commission to fight drug abuse?” Laviña asked.
He said that for having the knowledge but not acting on it, Roxas deserves to “go to jail, not to Malacañang.”
Duterte earlier pointed out that as the Interior secretary, Roxas had the administrative power over the police. IDL
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