Bets name-call, tussle over track-record in no-holds-barred debate
NO ONE was safe during the first half of the second presidential debate held in Cebu on Sunday.
All four presidential bets — Vice President Jejomar Binay, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Grace Poe, and former Interior secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II — got their fair share of accusations and name-calling as they were allowed to react to the answers of their fellow candidates.
Corrupt vs not Filipino
“Hindi ka tunay na Filipino! (You are not bona fide Filipino!),” Binay told Poe, more than a week after the Supreme Court sided with her on a disqualification case.
READ: Poe to Binay: You’re corrupt’ VP to rival: You’re not true Filipino
Article continues after this advertisement“Paano (ka naging) tunay na Filipino, sumumpa ka na ikaw ay maging Amerikano? Ikinahihiya mo ang pinanggalingan mo!” the Vice President said.
Article continues after this advertisement(How can you be a real Filipino when you already pledged your allegiance to America? You are ashamed of your roots.)
Poe defended herself while taking a dig against Binay.
“Nanatili ka sa bayan natin pero ikaw naman ay nangulimbat at nagnakaw. Ano ang kaibahan nun? Malaki ang kaibahan,” she told Binay who has long been accused of corruption.
(You remained in this country but you stole money. What is the difference? That is a huge difference.)
“Madame senator, kung magbintang ka parang ako ay na-convict na,” Binay said.
(Madame senator, you accuse as if I am already convicted.)
“Ikaw ba ang sinabi kong nangulimbat?” Poe retorted.
(Were you the thief I was referring to?)
Binay and his family have been accused of getting commission from the alleged overpriced Makati car park building. Poe, on the other hand, has been accused of not being fit to run for president because she was a foundling and a former American citizen. The High Court, however, ruled that Poe should not be disqualified from the presidential race.
READ: SC rules in favor of Poe in DQ case
Pretentious
Duterte and Roxas exchanged heated arguments over the rising criminality and illegal drugs in the country.
Duterte was asked how he would end criminality and illegal drugs in the country within the first six months if he would be elected president in the upcoming May elections, citing the high crime rate in Davao City in 2010.
“Hindi po ako takot mamatay. Ang akin lang wag pumatay,” Roxas told the mayor who has been linked to the notorious Davao Death Squad.
(I am not afraid to die. But it’s not right to kill.)
“Alam mo wala kang ginawa. Getting credit (sa) hindi mo ginawa. You’re pretentious,” Duterte said.
(You didn’t do anything. You are claiming credit that is not yours. You are a pretentious leader.)
Roxas and Binay also had their moments. Even before the debate started, Roxas reportedly led the candidates in asserting the Commission on Elections (Comelec) rule against the use of notes during the debate when Binay arrived with folders and envelopes filled with documents and background material.
READ: Roxas, Binay trade barbs on cause of delay in 2nd presidential debate
During the first half of the debate, Binay tried to pin the blame on Roxas when the latter was asked about the slow rehabilitation efforts in areas hit by super typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan).
Citing a Commission on Audit report, Binay said Roxas’ former agency, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), did not liquidate P7 billion in funds.
“Tapos na po ‘yun. Ang binabasa n’yo 2014. 2016 na tayo. Ginawa lahat ito 2015,” Roxas shot back.
(That’s over. You’re reading the report from 2014. It’s now 2016. All of that was finished in 2015.)
“Sabihin n’yo sa staff ninyo maging up-to-date sa pag-aaral,” he added.
(Tell your staff to be up-to-date in their research.)
READ: Roxas to Binay: Use current data if you want to discredit me
-With reports from Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Nestor Corrales
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