Alvarez on Duterte: Sincere, sensitive; strong but soft-hearted
Incoming Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez.
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
For presumptive Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez, President-elect Rodrigo Duterte is a man of contradictions-he is both sensitive and strict, strong-minded but soft-hearted.
This was how Alvarez described Duterte during the Meet the Inquirer Multimedia forum at the Inquirer office on Tuesday.
“He is a sincere and sensitive person. Matapang lang tingnan, pero I’m sure malambot ang puso (He looks tough, but he has a tender heart),” Alvarez said when asked how people can understand the trash-talking Davao city mayor who was elected by a landslide margin as President in the May 9 polls.
READ: Look beyond Duterte’s ‘bad boy’ image, says spokesperson
He said Duterte even cried backstage during the campaign season after being overwhelmed by support during political rallies.
Article continues after this advertisement“Several times umiyak siya sa kampanya. Hindi lang makita kasi nasa backstage (He cried seven times. It was just not seen because he did it backstage),” Alvarez said.
Article continues after this advertisementBut Alvarez admitted the difficulty with letting Duterte listen to the advice of his peers.
He said Duterte usually does not listen to the advice of others, and even does the opposite of what others ask him to do.
But Duterte listens eventually after he was given his time to process the opinion of others, Alvarez said.
“Yes, he listens, but he processes it himself. Huwag mo lang siyang madalihin, o kaya kulitin na gawin mo ‘to, gawin mo yan. Ayaw niya yun eh. In his own time, but kino-consider niya lahat,” Alvarez said.
(Yes he listens. But don’t rush him or pester him to do this or that. He doesn’t like that. [He’ll do it] in his own time, but he considers everything.)
Alvarez recalled the difficulty of convincing Duterte to run for President.
He admitted being part of the plan to have a substitute, in the person of Martin Diño, to file his certificate of candidacy until Duterte came around to run for President.
Alvarez said Duterte was adamant in refusing to file his candidacy, until the latter finally changed his mind and declared his presidential bid.
It seems like Duterte would all the more refuse to follow the advice of others when badgered, Alvarez said.
“’Pag binigyan mo ng advise, reverse ang kaniyang ginagawa. Kabaligtaran lagi ang ginagawa niya. Kaya yung bandang huli, sabihin na lang natin huwag na siya tumakbo para tumakbo,” Alvarez said.
(If you give him advice, he does the opposite. So in the end, let’s just tell him not to run for the presidency so that he would run.)
Alvarez said he is hopeful Duterte would fulfill his vow of a “metamorphosis,” to being presidential in manner from his foul-mouthed, cursing ways.
“I’m still hopeful kung ano yung sinabi niyang pagbabago sa sarili niya, mangyayari (that whatever he said about the change he will do actually takes place),” Alvarez said. CDG/rga
