(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday, March 3, slammed members of the opposition Otso Diretso, saying the senatorial slate was “on its way to hell (papuntang impyerno).”
In a PDP-Laban campaign in Zamboanga, Duterte took turns criticizing Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Senator Bam Aquino, former Quezon Rep. Erin Tañada, former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, lawyer Chel Diokno and lawyer Romulo Macalintal, only sparing Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc as she was a “woman.”
Duterte described Tañada as a leftist, who was at the same time a member of the Liberal Party.
He said his bet, senatorial candidate Francis Tolentino, had more qualifications than Tañada and Hilbay.
For Duterte, Mar Roxas, on the other hand, was a “braggart” and a “political turncoat” who did nothing when he was in government.
“Ano mang nagawa ni Mar? Kayo tanungin ko kayo. Kayong nag-Liberal, magtanong lang ako sa’yo, anong nagawa niya?” Duterte asked.
Duterte said the same of Aquino, who he said merely resembled his uncle, former Senator Ninoy Aquino, but who did “nothing significant” and only criticized the administration.
Diokno, for his part, Duterte said was a “far cry” from his father, the late Senator Jose W. Diokno, in terms of eloquence.
“Yung si W. Diokno. ‘Yun ang kuyaw. Pero ito, wala ito. Tignan mo magsalita. Wala. Walang ka ano. Maski mag-istorya siguro ito ng impyerno, masusunog kami doon,” he said.
Duterte said the same of Alejano, who he said “made no sense” when he talked.
He also noted Alejano’s mutinies under now-Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to overthrow the government of then-President Gloria Arroyo.
As for Macalintal, Duterte had this to say: “Abugado ka lang kung may pera ka. Papasok diyan wala kang pera.”
The Otso Diretso slate is led by Vice President Leni Robredo.
The elections are slated in May.
