Senator Franklin Drilon INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
Despite their disagreements on policy matters, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon assured President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday that “he has my full respect.”
This, after Duterte denied having a hand in pork barrel mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles’ allegation that she gave a P5 million campaign donation to Drilon during the 2010 elections.
“We thank the President for his statement that I have his respect and he considers me a friend,” the senator said in a statement.
“I would like to clarify that if I had disagreements with the President, it is always on matters of policy. I have never attacked the President on a personal level.
“In fact, I remain grateful for, and acknowledge, the support the President gave me, as mayor of Davao City, in all my election campaigns. I hope we remain friends. He has my full respect,” Drilon said.
The senator also clarified that he never said the President had talked to anyone to file a case against him.
In a speech at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) before leaving for India this Wednesday, Duterte even offered to resign if proven he had asked anyone to file a case against Drilon.
“Senator Drilon, if I talked to somebody urging a case against you sa PDAF, bring that person in my presence and I will resign because you are my friend,” the President said.
“Hindi nga ako. Sinabi ko, ‘It is not in my system. It is not in my style na maghabol ng…’ Ni wala akong pakialam sa kaso ninyo sa Mamasapano. Magdala ka ng tao dito kung sinong inutusan ko ‘yang sa PDAF-PDAF,” he added.
(It’s not me. I said, “It’s not in my system. It is not in my style to run after…” I’m not even meddling in your case over Mamasapano. Bring me whoever I ordered over that PDAF-PDAF.)
PDAF was lawmakers’ Priority Development Assistance Fund, which was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. /je
READ: Duterte denies hand in Napoles claim vs Drilon