House Minority warning to Duterte

House minority leader Danilo Suarez. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON

House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez on Wednesday warned President Duterte that the “honeymoon period” given by the minority bloc to him would only be until Dec. 31 this year.

In a press conference, Suarez said that the minority bloc expects the President to start tackling other national concerns that need to be addressed, and not just focus on his war against illegal drugs.

Deputy Minority Leader Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin said there are other “wars” that the Duterte administration need to attend to, such as the war against poverty, hunger and underemployment.

Suarez, the Quezon representative whose legitimacy as “minority” leader is being challenged by the Liberal Party led by Rep. Ted Baguilat,  said if the first year of Mr. Duterte’s administration was “bloody” as a result of the war on illegal drugs, next year should be “about other concerns that are equally, if not, more urgent.”

“We look forward to the President pursuing other issues now. We wonder if the administration is adequately prepared to cushion the Philippines during these uncertain and challenging times,” Suarez said.

Aside from the “continued fall of the peso,” Suarez enumerated other problems such as the lack of classrooms and food security.

Garbin said the administration should start focusing on the “gut issues” by next year.