Binay: Filipinos have a ‘moral obligation’ not to elect Duterte

In his most scathing remarks yet against the tough-talking chief executive since the campaign period started, Vice President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday said Filipino voters are morally obliged not to elect Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte amid allegations of human rights violations and involvement in extrajudicial killings.

“Ikaw, ako, ang ating mga kababayan, meron tayong moral obligation. Hindi na ako si Jojo Binay na nagsasalita bilang kandidato. Nagsasalita lang ako bilang maka-Diyos, makatao at bilang manananggol, ay hindi po dapat na iboto at sana ay huwag maging pangulo dahil sa ang ginagawa niya [ay] labag sa batas, hindi maka-Diyos, at paninira sa karapatan ng tao,” Binay said in a phone interview with 90.3 Energy FM in Dagupan.

READ: Binay twits Duterte: Your killing of the poor isn’t debatable

Binay also made similar remarks in a video posted on his official Facebook page where he, facing the camera, appealed to Filipinos to convince fellow voters not to put Duterte into the highest elective position in the land.

“Kasi tuluy-tuloy ang pagyayabang ni Mr. Duterte na pag siya ang naging pangulo, ipagpapatuloy niya ang pagpatay sa mga napagbibintangan niyang may ginawang kasalanan na paglabag sa batas. At ang napapatay niya mga bata, magkakapatid na apat, at ‘yon ho eh mga bagay-bagay na hindi niya ho itinatanggi,” he said.

Maintaining that Duterte was the leader of the so-called Davao Death Squad, the United Nationalist Alliance standard-bearer warned the mayor’s supporters that they would regret voting for him if their loved ones will be victimized should Duterte win the presidency.

READ: Binay: You’ll regret voting for Duterte

“Hindi po dapat mapunta sa yugto na magsisisi ang sinumang boboto. Ang dapat ngang mangyayari ay maipagmamalaki ang kanyang ibinoto. Pero kay Duterte, kapag nangyari sa inyo ‘yung ginawa niya na pagpatay ng mga bata, mga mahihirap, mga mangmang batay lamang sa kanyang suspetsang may ginawang mali, lumabag sa batas, tsaka ka pa magsisi kapag ginawa sa’yo ‘yan  at pinatay ang iyong mahal sa buhay.

“Mga kababayang humahanga kay Duterte, sana nama po ‘yong paghanga ninyo ay [hindi] siyang maging dahilan ng pagboto ninyo sa kanya, ‘yong paghanga ninyo roon sa kanyang ginagawang pagpatay. Kaawa-awa,” Binay said.

“Mga kababayan, tutulan po dapat natin ito. Hindi po dapat manaig ito. Tayo po ay nanlaban sa martial law. Itong pong sinasabi ni Duterte, masahol pa sa martial law,” he added.

Binay then presented himself as a pro-life, God-fearing alternative, saying that he would protect and uplift the lives of millions of Filipinos without having to kill if he becomes president.

“Si Jojo Binay po ay maka-Diyos at mapagtatanggol ko po ang karapatan ng bawat mamamayan na mabuhay. Si Duterte, ipapatay. Ako, pinapanatili kong mabuhay at ito ay tinutulungan ko para mapaangat ang kanyang buhay,” he said.

“Dahil sa ako ay presidente, sabihin na nating sa pagkatapos ng aking termino, ay umangat ang buhay ng ating mga kababayan at dahil diyan ay bababa ang krimen, uunlad po ang ating bansa, marami pong magkakatrabaho, dahil sa kasama ko sa pamumuno ‘yong mga magagaling at may karanasan ng secretary ng ating departamento. Ang laki po ng investment ng Pilipinas, at dahil diyan marami po tayong magkakaroon ng trabaho,” Binay added.

Binay earlier called Duterte as “butcher of the poor,” to which the mayor responded by calling Binay “butcher of the people’s money.”

READ: Binay calls Duterte ‘berdugo’ of the poor

Duterte grabbed the top spot from Sen. Grace Poe in recent nationwide preference surveys, with Binay trailing at third to fourth places with alongside administration bet Mar Roxas.

Duterte, known for his iron-fist style of leadership, was widely criticized for his alleged links to the so-called Davao Death Squad, which had been a subject of a Department of Justice investigation. Human rights groups including Amnesty International also raised red flags on Duterte’s human rights record.

Part of his campaign promise was to eliminate crime within six months should he win the presidency in the May 9 polls. JE

RELATED VIDEO