MANILA, Philippines – Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte has asked incumbent chief executive Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to resign if the latter has no “love and aspirations” for the country, adding that Marcos is lazy and has no compassion.
“Mr. President, kung wala kang pag-ibig at aspirations para sa iyong bansa, resign,” Duterte said Sunday during the Hakbang ng Maisug Leaders Forum in Davao City.
The profanity-laden speech of the young Duterte revolved around the issues concerning counterinsurgency, war on drugs campaign, and the inability of the Marcos administration to “keep up” with how the Duterte administration led the campaign against illegal drug trade.
“The next following statements will be you know, it will be my own perception and my personal view of this president: you are lazy and you lack compassion,” the younger Duterte said.
He also noted that Marcos was “endangering the lives of innocent Filipinos” as he compared the leadership of his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte to Marcos Jr.
The older Duterte is currently facing a threat of possible investigation by The-Hague-based international tribunal International Criminal Court (ICC) due to his bloody war on drugs campaign.
Split in unity?
Meanwhile, former Marcos’ executive secretary and lawyer Vic Rodriguez also attended the forum and seemingly took a swipe at the “Bagong Pilipinas” inauguration, which is currently happening at the Quirino Grandstand alongside the Hakbang ng Maisug Leaders Forum.
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“Hindi ba noong nagbuklod tayo ng sama-sama, ang ating tema ay unity. Ang Cha-Cha (Charter Change) ba, ang paglustay ng pera ng bansa, ‘yan ba ay magdudulot sa atin ng pagkakaisa o pagkakawatak-watak?,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez was once upon a time a member of the Marcos administration and took part in the return of the Marcos family in Malacañang. In October 2022, he announced his “complete exit” from the Marcos administration less than a month after resigning from his post as executive secretary.
“Dito ho, walang allowance, dito po hindi tayo binu-bus, dito po hindi kayo magkakaroon ng leave credits, dito po wala kayong pipirmahang signature para patunayan sa inyong mga department heads na kayo ay present sa araw na ito,” he also said.
Several documents from government agencies, including educational institutions, showed that government employees are required to attend or send their representatives to the “Bagong Pilipinas” rally. Participating individuals are entitled to some leave credits and other benefits including transportation and food allowance, among others.
The forum, which sparks conversations on the alleged rift between the Marcos and Duterte family, who is currently heading the two highest positions in the Philippine government, coincided with the inauguration of the “Bagong Pilipinas,” which is touted to be the Marcos administration’s “brand of governance and leadership.”
On the other hand, lawyer Harry Roque chided Marcos’ relationship with the United States following the president’s alleged change of tune in rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“Ang totoong dahilan kung bakit gusto nilang makipag-cooperate sa ICC [ay] dahil banta si PRRD, banta si VP Sara, sa kanilang maitim na plano, dapat ipakulong ngayon sa The Hague,” Roque said.
As per Marcos, rejoining the international tribunal remains “under study,” however, this was not the chief executive’s tune in 2022 when he said he had “no intention” to rejoin the ICC.
Prior to Roque’s spate of harangues, Marcos had already said that he “won’t lift a finger” to assist the ICC in its probe into the previous administration’s war on drugs.
