Roxas twits Duterte: Next president should be role model to youth

Mar Roxas and Rodrigo Duterte INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The word war between administration bet Mar Roxas and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte rages on, with the Liberal Party standard-bearer saying that the next Philippine president should be decent and a good example to the Filipino youth.

Roxas slammed anew Duterte’s brand of justice, saying that the tough-talking local executive known for his iron-fist style of leadership was concerned only with what he believes is right.

“Kung ano ang pumasok sa kanyang isip, tama o mali, totoo man o hindi ay ‘yun na ‘yon. Para sa akin, hindi ganoon ang uri ng papamahala na gusto natin sa ating bansa,” Roxas told reporters in Naga, Cebu on Friday.

(Whatever is ingrained in his mind, whether it’s right or wrong, true or not, it is what he believes in. For me, that is not the brand of leadership we want for our country.)

“Ano siya, judge, jury, executioner? Siya na lang at siya na lang ang tama at ‘yung pananaw niya na lang ang tama? Hindi ganoon ang Pilipinas at ‘di ganoon ang Pilipino,” he said.

(What is he, judge, jury and executioner? Does he have the monopoly of righteousness? That is now how the Philippines and Filipinos are.)

READ: Roxas on Duterte’s ‘name-calling’: Is that all he can say?

Duterte, who previously declared in public that he had killed criminals in his turf, was dubbed as “The Punisher” due to his approach toward crimes in Davao and his alleged links to the Davao Death Squad.

Despite lagging in recent preference surveys, Roxas said he was confident that the voting public would elect a decent Filipino as president who would represent the country well in the international scene.

“Kung may mga problema na napatunayan na ‘di ayon sa kanyang pananaw o opinyon ang katotohanan ay mumurahin na lang niya? Eh hindi po ‘yan ang tamang pamumuno sa ating bansa at hindi ‘yan ang ugaling nais nating matutunan ng ating mga kabataan,” he said.

(If he learns of problems or those which and who do not agree to his opinions, should he just curse at them? That is not how we lead the country, and that is not the example we want to set for the youth.)

Duterte, who vowed to curb drugs and crimes within three to six months should he win the presidency, recently tagged Roxas as “bayot” (a weakling, according to his camp) after questioning the plausibility of his campaign promise.

READ: Duterte warns criminals: I am not kidding

Echoing Roxas, LP spokesperson Rep. Barry Gutierrez said the Philippines needs a decent leader who understands the plight of the poor and uplift their lives, and not someone who would kill them.

“Ganyan talaga si Mayor, lahat baril na lang. Pero tandaan natin, matapang lang siya mamaril ng maliit, pero umaatras siya ‘pag malaki—China, GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), (Vice President Jejomar) Binay, NPA (New People’s Army),” Gutierrez said. IDL