SENATOR Leila de Lima has a “friendly” and “unsolicited” advice to President Rodrigo Duterte: Think before you speak.
De Lima was initially hesitant to comment on the President’s latest outburst, this time directed at United States President Barack Obama, noting how Duterte would not like to be lectured on by other people.
“Di ba nga sinasabi niya na ayaw siyang line-lecturan. Ayaw siyang pinagsasabihan. So mahirap…kasi ayaw ngang line-lecturan, ayaw sinasabihan. So maybe, this is just a friendly advice, unsolicited advice,” she said in an interview at the Senate on Tuesday.
“Kailangan ho kasi tandaan ng ating mahal na Pangulo na Pangulo po siya, and therefore, anuman po ang lumalabas sa bibig niya ay kailangan pinag-iisipin muna nang husto, at hindi padalos-dalos, na nagiging policy yan and official statement,” she said.
De Lima, who also traded barbs with Duterte over her alleged involvement in the illegal drugs trade, reminded that a statement of any president or leader of a state would be reflective reflective of his or her country’s foreign policy.
“And therefore, hindi pupuwede yung ganyang style na nambu-bully, offensive din ang language,” she said.
“Because pag ganun po, sa tingin ko po…I know, baka na naman po siya magalit if I say this – that yung mga ganyan po na mga offensive, intemperate language, does not only demean himself, but it also demeans his office and even the country in the eyes of the world. So kailangan po doble-ingat.”
The senator was referring to Duterte’s reported warning against anyone who would lecture him about human rights and extra-judicial killings during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Vientiane, Laos.
“You must be respectful. You just don’t throw question and statements. Putangina, mumurahin kita sa forum na yan,” the President was quoted in the media as saying, supposedly referring to Obama.
His remark was believed to be the reason Obama called off his scheduled meeting with him this Tuesday. Duterte later expressed regrets for his comment.
De Lima was almost certain that such an incident would have “repercussions either immediately or in the near future.”
In fact, she said, she already received some text messages from her former classmates, who are now based in the US, supposedly saying that they were already being insulted there by Americans.
“It’s just an advice, Mr. President…I’m not imposing on you. I’m not lecturing sa inyo. And siguro po yung ganitong sentiment, I’m almost sure or pretty sure, is being shared by many,” the senator added./rga