Gives him one week to come up with a list of corrupt officials, gov’t offices
(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to campaign against senator Manny Pacquiao if he could not prove his claim that the country became two to three times more corrupt under his administration.
Duterte seethed at the senator’s remarks, and challenged him to give him a list of the names of the corrupt in government, and the offices which are committing corrupt acts, so he can take action on these. He gave him a period of one week. If Pacquiao can’t do this, the President said he would tell the people not to vote for the boxing senator for lying.
“So I am challenging him, ituro mo ang opisina na corrupt at ako na ang bahala. Within one week may gawain ako. (I will do something) Maglista ka, Pacquiao, at sinasabi mong two times kaming corrupt, ilista mo ‘yong mga tao at opisina — at dapat nilista mo na ‘yon at ibigay mo sa akin. (Give me a list Pacquiao, and what you are saying that we are twice corrupt, list the names of the persons and the offices. You should have already done that list, and given it to me) ‘Di ba ang sabi ko noon (Haven’t I told you before), if you come to know that there is a corruption, let me know. Give me the office and the… Ganoon ang dapat ginawa mo (That is what you should have done),” he said in his “Talk to the People” on Monday night, June 28.
-Changing stance-
The President also noted how Pacquiao had been “all praises” for him all these years, and suddenly became very critical of his government. This happened after the PDP-Laban national assembly issued a resolution urging Duterte to run for vice-president in the 2022 elections, and authorizing him to name his preferred presidential running-mate.
This was when a rift seemed to have formed within the PDP-Laban party.
Duterte explained during his “Talk To The People” that he had already taken action on all the government offices that had been reported to be corrupt, cleansing them of the officials who had been investigated by the Office of the Ombudsman. He also cited the 43 immigration officials, 73 customs officials whom he had ordered dismissed, aside from the government personnel whom he had read in his weekly “Talk To the People” which are either being investigated by the Ombudsman , or who had been dismissed after the probe that pointed to their guilt.
“Wala ka naman sinabi noong (You did not say anything) all these years, puro ka praises nang praises sa akin tapos ngayon sabihin mo corrupt (You were all singing praises to me, and now you will say that there is corruption). Saang corruption? Anong opisina? Kasi pagkaalam ko wala. (Where is the corruption? What office? Because as far as I know, there is none) DPWH noon was really — had the notoriety of… Pero wala akong nakita ngayon na may corrupt. (But now, there is no more corruption) Mayroon marami na pero napaalis na. Naunahan na kita (There were many before, but I have already removed them, I was ahead of you),” he said.
-Duterte: Pacquiao politicking-
Duterte also said he thinks Pacquiao is just “dreaming” if he thinks he would be able to eradicate corruption, or give everybody houses within six years’ time.
“Every administration will have its share of the problem of corruption. Do not ever think that if you will win as president, na wala ng corruption dito sa Pilipinas (that there will be no corruption here in the Philippines). And for your dream of giving everybody houses in six years’ time, just what — just like what Senator Enrile said, ‘Good luck na lang. You must be dreaming,’” he said.
The President also challenged Pacquiao to talk in Congress on his allegations of corruption, or to pinpoint the officials who are corrupt. He stressed that all complaints on corruptions are acted upon or investigated. In fact, he said the Ombudsman has his hands full with cases, and could reach about a thousand by year-end.
If Pacquiao would not be able to give this list of corrupt officials or offices in government, then Duterte said that he would assume, the senator is just ‘politicking’ this early.
“Ituro mo lang (Just identify them) tutal it is your duty as a congressman, go to Congress and start to talk. I am challenging you, or else, talagang sabi nga nila totoong namumulitika ka lang. (I can say that you are just playing politics) With that… That goes for every Filipino,” the President said.
“Sabihin ninyo ‘yong mga tao na corrupt at anong opisina (Tell me the people who are corrupt and from what office) and I will do something about it, immediately. Lahat na na-isumbong sa akin dito (All those who have had complaints against them), either suspended na or nasa korte na (either suspended or already in court), sa Ombudsman or sa Sandigan. And marami nang na-dismiss. (Many have been dismissed) Mag-abot ito ng libo (It could reach a thousand) by the end of this year. We’re studying of filing the cases in… Ang Ombudsman is very efficient. I would like to thank the Ombudsman. Although as a matter of delicadeza, hindi ako — hindi ko talaga nakausap ‘yan si — ‘yong Ombudsman natin (I do not really talk to the Ombudsman).”
-Duterte to Pacquiao: “I will expose you as a liar”-
President Duterte then vowed to campaign against Pacquiao, if the latter would run for the presidency, if he would not be able to give him that list and substantiate his allegations of corruption. He also threatened to expose the senator for being a “liar.”
“If you fail to do that, I will campaign against you because you are not doing your duty. Do it because if not, I will just tell the people: ‘Do not vote for Pacquiao because he is a liar.’ I am not questioning your ability intellectually or what. But ‘pag hindi mo nagawa ‘yan, araw-arawin kita (If you fail to do that, I will do this daily), I will expose you as a liar,” he said.
“At ‘yong buhay mo, kilala man kita noon pa (I’ve known you for a long time). Then, we should start also because you are going for public office, presidency, everybody should know. But ito, I’ll put you on notice na isasabi ko lahat at kakalabanin kita sa panahon ng eleksyon (I’ll tell everybody that I’ll fighting you in the period of elections). ‘Pag hindi (if not), you’ll just be another … playing politics,” Duterte said.
In a Malacanang press briefing on Tuesday, June 29, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that Duterte had really been angered by Pacquiao’s remarks.
-PDP Laban standard bearer-
Roque noted that it seemed Pacquiao, thinking he was not among those being considered by Duterte as a possible standard bearer for the PDP-Laban, had made his remarks against the administration.
But he said that before this, Pacquiao was even among the four personalities being considered by President Duterte as a presidential candidate for 2022. Roque said Duterte had told him that he is considering his daughter, Sara, senators Pacquiao and Christopher “Bong” Go, as well as former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, as possible PDP-Laban presidential candidates, but with the recent falling-out with Pacquiao, he said the senator is out of the President’s good graces.
Pacquiao succeeded Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel Jr., as PDP-Laban president when the latter stepped down last year. In May, the boxer-senator issued a resolution for partymates to ignore the call for a national assembly of the party by Party vice-chair Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi set for May 31. The national assemble was allegedly called upon instruction from President Duterte, the party’s chairman.
(Eagle News Service)
