Duterte wants voters to shun Senate bets who don't do anything but criticize him
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte urged voters to reject senatorial candidates who, he said, did not do anything but criticize his administration.
Duterte said some candidates are ranting about his policies so voters would remember them when they cast their votes in May.
"Alam mo, kung bigyan mo ako mga senador na kalaban kagaya sige yawyaw. Wala namang ginawa kung yawyaw. Basta maka-yawyaw lang. May masabi lang sa issue para hindi makalimutan na 'Hoy, nandito ako ah' (If you give me senators from the opposition, they would just talk. They won't do anything but talk for the sake of talking. They will talk about an issue so they won't be forgotten, 'Hey, I am here')," Duterte said during a campaign rally of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan in Laguna last Saturday.
"That's everybody's style. Who will they criticize? Me. What am I doing? 'Ah, Duterte, extrajudicial killing,'" he added, referring to the opposition's allegation that the administration's war on illegal drugs has encouraged policemen to execute suspects.
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The president lambasted his ardent critic Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, whom he called a "hambugero (braggart)" and "u*** (fool)."
"Trillanes has not done anything but he collects his salary. Son of a b****. His mouth is his only capital," he said.
Duterte also chided opposition Sen. Francis Pangilinan for passing a law that raised the age of criminal responsibility to 15. He said minors who committed crimes would grow up without a sense of accountability because of the law.
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Duterte also asked voters not to give positions of responsibility to "useless" candidates.
"Bakit ninyo ibigay ‘yang responsibility na mabigat para sa pakanan ng bayan sa mga taong alam ninyo na inutil. Iyan ang ibig kong sabihin (For the sake of the country, Why give important responsibilities to people who are useless?" the president said.
"Iwasan ninyo ‘yan, ‘yung walang ginawa (Shun those who have not done anything)," he added.
Duterte called on voters to support real "idols" who have accomplished something for the country.
"Mag-idol kayo ‘yung totoo... Iyong talagang makita mo na may ginawa para sa ating bayan. Iyon ang i-idol ninyo. Iyon ang iboto ninyo (Idolize those who did something for the country. Vote for them)," the president said.
He went on to heap praises on PDP-Laban senatorial bets Maguindanao Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu, former corrections and police chief Ronald dela Rosa, former presidential aide Christopher Go, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III and former political affairs adviser Francis Tolentino and guest candidates Sens. Cynthia Villar, Sonny Angara and JV Ejercito, Taguig City Rep. Pia Cayetano, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, and folk singer Freddie Aguilar.
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