Duterte to LP: Set aside politics

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte on Monday urged the opposition to set aside politics after former president Benigno Aquino III criticized the chief executive for his remarks on human rights.

Duterte started talk about the opposition when something entered his ears while delivering a speech in Sta. Ana, Cagayan, where he witnessed the destruction of almost P300 million worth of smuggled vechiles.

"Something entered my ears. Perhaps it's yellow," the President said, referring to the campaign color associated with Aquino and the opposition Liberal Party.

"To the yellows and everyone, set aside politics. The yellows have long melted," he added, referring to ice, which translates to 'yelo' in his dialect.

Aquino has chided Duterte for making a distinction between human rights and human lives during the chief executive's third State of the Nation Address. Duterte claimed that while his critics were concerned about human rights he was securing human lives.  

During the last part of his 20-minute extemporaneous speech, Duterte took a jab at Vice President Leni Robredo, the highest elected official of LP.

"I have to stop talking because they are signaling me that there's a high range of mountains there...The next one who will destory these (smuggled vehicles), if we are unlucky, is Robredo," Duterte said.

"Kaya niyang sirain 'yan (Can she destroy these)?" he added.

Duterte previously said Robredo should not succeed him because she was "incompetent," a remark that prompted the vice president to urge to the chief executive to focus on the economy instead - Alexis Romero