Country above all else, Kiko tells Sara Duterte

Photo from Sen. Kiko Pangilinan’s Facebook page

“May hangganan din ang tumanaw ng utang na loob.”

(The appreciation of debt of gratitude has its limitations.)

This was how Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan addressed on Thursday Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte’s attacks that he was “opportunistic.”

Pangilinan said that while he was saddened by the Presidential daughter’s social media comments, his duty to serve Filipinos is greater than any friendship.

“Nalulungkot tayo sa mga paratang sa atin ni Mayor Sara Duterte sa social media. Marunong din naman tayong tumanaw ng utang na loob sa mga tumulong sa atin sa halalan. Kasama na dito ang Davao City, at sa katunayan, ilang proyekto din ang nilaan natin sa Davao mula 2001 hanggang 2012 sa dalawang termino natin bilang senador,” the senator said in a statement.

(I am saddened by the accusations hurled to us by Mayor Sara Duterte on social media. We know how to acknowledge gratitude from people who helped us in the campaign. This includes Davao City, and in fact there is a number of projects that we delivered in Davao since 2001 to 2012 in my two terms as senator.)

“Subalit ang tungkulin natin sa bayan at sa kapwa Pilipino ay mas matimbang sa anumang pagkakaibigan. May hangganan din ang tumanaw ng utang na loob,” he added.

(But our sworn duty for the country and fellow Filipinos weights a lot more that friendship. The appreciation of debt of gratitude has its limitations.)

Sara, in her Facebook post Thursday, accused Pangilinan and Senators Risa Hontiveros and Antonio Trillanes IV of having presidential ambitions.

READ: Sara Duterte sears ‘opportunistic’ Pangilinan, Hontiveros, Trillanes

She also individually mentioned the three senators in her post and recounted how they asked for help form her and President Rodrigo Duterte regarding endorsements in the previous elections.

“Kiko Pangilinan–Several years ago nagkita tayo dito sa Davao, sa isang golf club, pinuntahan mo si PRD. Gusto mo tumakbo Presidente, ansabe mo? ‘With Sharon’s [endorsement] and your (PRD) [endorsement] I’m sure I can make it.’ Dati pa-[endorse] ka sa kanya ngayon may pa Hunger Games salute effect ka,” Sara said.

(Kiko Pangilinan—several years ago, we met at a golf club here in Davao when you met with PRD. You wanted to run for President, right? You said that with Sharon’s endorsement, and with PRD’s endorsement, you were sure you would make it. Before, you sought his endorsement, now you have younger Hunger Games salute.)

Reacting to his alleged ambition to become president, Pangilinan said: “Sa totoo lang, mas madali at may pakinabang sa nag-a-ambisyon ang tumahimik na lang at sumama sa agos. Marami sa Partido Liberal ang lumipat na sa PDP-Laban dahil sa ambisyon at sa pulitika. Dapat sana ganun din ako.”

(Honestly, it is easy and has more benefits for the aspirants to just remain quiet and go with the flow. A lot of Liberal Party members had switched to PDP-Laban because of ambition and politics. If that is the case I should be one of them.)

“Subalit kahit sikat at popular ang ating Pangulo, hindi pa rin tama ang araw-araw na patayan lalo na ng mga bata at ang pagpapalusot ng tone-toneladang shabu sa Customs. Yan ang mga dahilan kaya tayo pumupuna,” he added.

(But even if our President is popular, it is still not right that there are killings almost every day especially of children and the smuggling of tons of shabu at Customs. That is the reason why we criticize.)

Pangilinan, who is also the Liberal Party president, said he understands that criticisms are part of democracy.

“Nauunawaan ko ang sitwasyon nang binabatikos sa pulitika. Halos dalawang dekada na rin akong naninilbihan bilang mataas na opisyal ng bansa. Masakit ang pinupuna at binabatikos ngunit ganyan ang demokrasya,” he said.

(I understand the situation of being criticized in politics. I have been serving as a ranking official of the country for almost two decades now. It hurts when being criticized but that’s how democracy works.) /jpv