Presidential candidates Rodrigo Duterte and Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.
Presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte called former Interior secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II as the “weakest link” among his rivals.
During a campaign sortie in Kalibo, Aklan on Wednesday, Duterte slammed Roxas for his incompetence.
“Mar Roxas is the weakest link,” the tough-talking mayor told Aklanons during his rally at the Kalibo Pastrana Park.
Duterte hit Roxas for the misuse of Yolanda funds and the mess created from the Metro Rail Transit-3 project.
Prior to his term as Interior secretary, Roxas served as a Transportation secretary under the Aquino administration.
Duterte said Roxas does not have the qualities of a president.
“Ang proseso ng presidente marunong kang magdala ng Mamasapano at Yolanda (A president’s dealings requires that you know how to handle a Mamasapano or a Yolanda),” he told a crowd of around 5,000 who attended his rally.
READ: Duterte tells Roxas: You’re a pretentious leader
The Aquino government was heavily criticized for how it handled supertyphoon “Yolanda,” which left at least 6 ,000 residents in the Visayas region dead as well as the Mamasapano tragedy, which claimed the lives of 44 elite police commandos.
Roxas was the Interior secretary during those times.
In a campaign sortie in Pandacan, Manila on Friday night, Duterte again hit Roxas, telling the crowd the administration’s candidate was the weakest link.
READ: Duterte camp calls Roxas comic book ‘comical, pure fantasy’
During his speech, which lasted for more than an hour, Duterte reiterated to the crowd his promise to stop crime, criminality and corruption within the first six months of his term.
The presidential candidate earlier vowed to provide a clean government if he wins in the upcoming May elections.
“People will come first, people will come first,” he said. CDG
READ: Roxas: I will lead fight against ‘dictator’ Duterte