Gordon lauds Duterte’s speech: simple, direct, has all that world wants to hear

Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Returning Senator Richard Gordon thought President Rodrigo Duterte’s inauguration was “one of the best” he has seen in its simplicity, complimenting the country’s new leader for “reassuring” words in his first address as the Philippines’ new top official.

Reached by phone, Gordon, among select guests invited to the inaugural held in Malacañang at noon Thursday, thought the tough-talking former Davao City Mayor was “presidential” in his speech.

“I think this is one of the best, very simple. If I were to do it, I would have done it that way,” said Gordon, who ran for President but lost in 2010.

“He is presidential today. He didn’t go overboard. The expectation was that he will go overboard,” he said, in apparent reference to Mr. Duterte’s known propensity to curse in his public speeches.

Gordon said Mr. Duterte addressed everyone that needed to hear a message from him, among them government officials, the business sector, and diplomatic corps, and the ordinary Filipino.

“He was speaking to the whole world, an entire audience of the world, and people are looking at him. And the words the world wanted to hear — rule of law, dispatch in business, lack of corruption, justice for all men — was spoken in well crafted language for the high and low,” Gordon said when reached by phone. SFM

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