Duterte talks longer about opposition bets at final rally
Credit to Author: Alexander Magno| Date: Sat, 11 May 2019 16:30:11 +0000
MANILA, Philippines — In making a final push for his senatorial slate, President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday zeroed in on opposition bets longer than he did on his own candidates.
Speaking at the last campaign rally of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) in Pasig City on Saturday, the President started by taking a swipe at opposition candidates.
“If you believe in Bikoy, kindly vote for the Otso Diretso. Pag maniwala kayo, doon kayo. If you want a country of inutil, mga duwag, ayan ang mangyayari sa gobyerno ninyo,” he said.
[If you believe in Bikoy, kindly vote for the Otso Diretso. If you believe the, vote for them. If you want a country of useless people, cowards that what you will get in government.]
Bikoy is the alias used by the hooded narrator of “Ang Totoong Narco List,” series videos linking the President’s relatives and allies to the illegal drug trade.
Otso Diretso is the campaign name of the opposition’s senatorial slate.
The opposition slate is composed of Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, reelectionist Sen. Bam Aquino, human-rights lawyer Chel Diokno, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc, former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, election lawyer Romy Macalintal, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, and former House Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada.
The President even singled out some candidates from the opposition namely Hilbay, Roxas, Alejano, and Diokno.
It was only towards the end of his more than two-hour speech that the President made his final pitch for his candidates.
The President’s picks for the Senate include re-electionist Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, Maguindanao Rep. Zajib “Dong” Mangudadatu, former Bureau of Corrections chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, former special presidential aide Bong Go, and former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino — who are all running under the PDP-Laban.
The President also backed the bids of Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan III, veteran singer-songwriter Freddie Aguilar, former Sen. Pia Cayetano, and re-electionist Senators Sonny Angara, JV Ejercito and Cynthia Villar.
(Editor: Alexander T. Magno)
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