Hontiveros calls out Duterte’s profanity at Senate probe

Former President Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Risa Hontiveros

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros called out former President Rodrigo Duterte for spewing profanity during the Senate hearing on the drug war on Monday.

Duterte repeatedly hurled expletives while explaining his ironclad stance against illegal drugs, specially when police are involved.

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“That’s my stand. If you don’t agree with me I’m sorry but I’m dealing with the serious problem of my  country. Hindi mo madala sa pakiusap yan (It cannot be addressed through a request),” he said during the hearing of the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee.

“Lalo na ang pulis, p*tang*na itong mga pulis, pag pumasok yan sa pulis sa droga, hindi mo masabi, ‘hoy pulis huminto ka’,” he added.

(Especially when the police get involved in illegal drugs, you can’t tell them to stop)

Duterte was responding to Hontiveros, who called him out for saying during the hearing that drug suspects should be killed. This remark, according to her, was unacceptable.

“Forgive me for interrupting. Speaking of lengwahe, sorry sir, baka maaaring ang resource person tumigil magmura kasi bahay natin itong Senado e,” Hontiveros said.

(Forgive me for interrupting. Speaking of language, I’m sorry, sir, but perhaps the resource person could stop cursing because the Senate is our house.)

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who was presiding over the panel’s probe into the Philippine war on illegal drugs, then advised Duterte to refrain from uttering foul language even when just relating a story.

Later in the hearing, Duterte apologized to Hontiveros, whom he described as a sensitive person.

“Yung character ko ho ganun talaga. Maski saan mo ako ilagay, even in front of anybody, ganun talaga ako. Bastos ako, walanghiya ako kasi galing ako sa baba,” he said.

(My character is really like that. No matter where you put me, even in front of anyone, I am like that. I’m rude and shameless because I come from a humble background.)

But Hontiveros corrected Duterte’s impressions of her.

“Hindi ako sensitive,” she said, “Ayaw ko lang talaga ng bastos, ayaw ko ng walanghiya lalo na pag pinag-uuusapan natin seryosong bagay [na] war on drugs saka extrajudicial killings.”

(I’m not sensitive. I just don’t like rude, shameless people, especially when we are discussing serious matters like the war on drugs and extrajudicial killings.)

“Ako, basta ma’am, walang hiya talaga ako. Yan ang totoo (I really have no shame, ma’am. That’s the truth),” Duterte insisted.

He also said he would have not been elected president if he had not been rude and shameless.