SCREEN GRAB FROM FACEBOOK
The son of presidential front-runner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte could not hide his admiration for his father’s rival, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, when they crossed paths recently.
In a photo he posted on his Facebook account on Sunday, Sebastian Duterte narrated how he got his photo taken with the feisty senator.
“Hello Senator MDS. I feel so lucky that I had the chance to have a picture with you. To my surprise, you even went over to me when my friend asked for a photo. I was so captivated by your presence that I did not know what to do. When you grabbed my arm during the picture, my heart just smiled. Memories flashed in my mind of you reprimanding someone in a Senate hearing,” he said.
The youngest son of the tough-talking mayor said that he admired Santiago for being a “real contributor” to the country.
“You are sweet and inspiring. I never easily get starstrucked [sic] but you had me at mere sight. I truly admire you because I believe that you are a real contributor to our country,” he said.
Hours away from the third and last presidential debate where Santiago and the older Duterte will face off, the younger Duterte had a special request to the senator.
“P.S. Bring the best out of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, give him the fight of a lifetime!” he said.
READ: She’s back! Miriam raring to debate
The photo has been liked by 43,000 Facebook users as of this writing and shared more than 5,500 times.
Duterte and Santiago will be joined by their other rivals—Senator Grace Poe, Vice President Jejomar Binay, and former Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II—in the third presidential debate to be held at the University of Pangasinan in Dagupan City.
Netizens earlier coined the pair “DuRiam”—a portmanteau of the names of Santiago and Duterte—after they showed mutual respect and admiration during the first presidential debate in Cagayan de Oro City last February.
The third debate will be hosted by ABS-CBN, Manila Bulletin, and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas. JE
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