Duterte back on campaign trail

DAVAO CITY , Philippines– Presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has returned to the campaign trail after he was downed by acute bronchitis and migraine last Thursday.

Duterte showed up at the political rally organized by his supporters in Tagum City, Davao del Norte yesterday.

Duterte said his supporters should not worry about his health.

“There is no turning back. I’m OK,” he said.

Duterte will be joined by his running mate, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, for a three-day campaign swing in Mindanao.  

Duterte said he would attend the first presidential debate organized by the Commission on Elections to be held in Cagayan de Oro City on Feb. 21.

The 70-year-old mayor was confined at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center after he suffered from acute bronchitis on Feb. 11.

He failed to attend his speaking engagements in Manila after he had a migraine attack last Thursday.

Mar buying votes with BUB – Duterte

The camp of Duterte accused Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II of bribing barangay officials using the government’s bottom-up budget (BUB) program.

He said Roxas’ promise of increasing funds for the BUB scheme was meant to get the votes of local officials in the May 9 elections.

Earlier, Roxas promised members of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines that he would allocate more funds for the BUB.

The program was implemented under his watch as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Under the scheme, Roxas said barangay leaders would have access to some P100 billion in funds each year. Each of their constituents, he said, would receive P1,000 annually from these funds.

Former senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, said the government is selective in choosing the recipients of the BUB funds.

“It cannot be denied that there is politics in the distribution of BUB funds,” Lacson, who is running for senator, said during a recent visit here.

“For example, how much was BUB in 2014? Around P31 billion, and it’s selective as the funds were not equally distributed to local government units (LGUs),” he added.

Lacson said all LGUs down to the barangay level should receive their share of the budget. 

Roxas, Duterte at it again

Roxas has challenged Duterte to show to the public his medical certificate to prove that he is not sick.

The challenge came after Duterte suffered from acute bronchitis and migraine, prompting the mayor to cancel his engagements.

In an interview with reporters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport before he flew back to Davao on Friday, Duterte said he is willing to disclose his medical records on one condition.

“Roxas should prove that he’s cut,” Duterte said in Filipino.

Duterte’s statement generated laughter from the reporters.

Peter Laviña, spokesman for the mayor, said the comment was apparently a taunt.

“But it was not without meaning. Duterte has always looked at Mar Roxas as someone unfit to lead the country – someone who is not cut out for the presidency,” Laviña said. – With Robertzon Ramirez, Lalaine Jimenea, Mike Frialde