Nancy Binay hopes for less ‘cockfighting’ between pa, Duterte
DAGUPAN, Pangasinan—Sen. Nancy Binay hopes there will be no word war between her father, Vice President Jejomar Binay, and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte during the presidential debate here on Sunday.
In an interview with reporters on Saturday, the senator said she did not think a brutal exchange would ensue between Duterte and Binay, noting there was no conflict in the previous debates between the mayor and Liberal Party bet Mar Roxas even though the two had been challenging each other to a “slap” fight.
Roxas and Duterte earlier dared each other to a whacking match after the latter issued gay slurs against the LP bet and the former called the mayor “immature.”
“It’s a possibility but I think that’s not going to happen,” she said.
“Especially if (the debate) is moderated well,” she added, referring to the final presidential debate organized by the Commission on Elections and sponsored by ABS-CBN, which will be held at University of Pangasinan.
“I think ABS-CBN wants the discussion to be platform-based and less (about) personalities.”
She also said she hoped the debate would focus more on candidates’ platforms than mudslinging.
“Pero sana during this last debate, less ano, huwag masyado sana ’yung sabong (But I hope during this last debate, there will be less cockfighting),” she said. “Just say what (the candidate) is going to do about the problem or the question being asked.”
The bickering between the two began when Duterte blasted Binay on allegations of corruption over purportedly overpriced deals during the latter’s two-decade run as Makati mayor.
READ: It’s jail for Binay, says Duterte camp
Duterte had poked fun at Binay, saying the 73-year-old Vice President was sick because his hands trembled, probably due to counting billions worth of kickbacks.
Binay, for his part, had called Duterte a butcher for his alleged links to the vigilante group Davao Death Squad, which the mayor himself confirmed, and mocked him for his “psychological narcissistic disorder.”
READ: Binay calls Duterte ‘abnormal,’ says he has ‘sick mind’
Binay also called Duterte “a pervert” who had “a sick mind” after the latter made a joke about the rape slay of Australian missionary Jacqueline Hamill during a 1989 prison riot in Davao City.
The Vice President once considered the Davao City mayor a running mate and praised him for his extensive experience as a local government chief executive.
Binay’s words, however, turned to vilification as Duterte led the latest voters’ preference polls. RC
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