NextGen Day

MANILA, Philippines — If it were up to him, President Rodrigo R. Duterte would “replace” reelectionist senator and Philippine Red Cross (PRC) chairperson Richard Gordon in the Senate with former presidential spokeswoman and senatorial bet Harry Roque.

“I believe you belong in the Senate…

“Dapat ‘yung kagaya nila Gordon, palitan mo na ‘yan,” Duterte said to Roque at the second installment of President’s Chatroom, which aired on state-run PTV-4 on Sunday night.

Gordon’s inquiry into the government’s reportedly questionable contracts with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. to deliver medical supplies during the Covid-19 epidemic in 2020 was lambasted by Duterte once more.

Gordon and other senators, he claimed, interrogated his Cabinet officials for hours, wasting time that should have been spent working.

“The only thing I didn’t agree with them on was tinatawag nila, nandiyan sa umaga, in the morning, and yet the rest of the day nakaupo sila doon, hindi sila tinatawag at all,” he added.

Roque, for one, labeled Gordon’s Senate Blue Ribbon committee’s investigation as “in assistance of election.”

“Wala naman silang kahit anong batas na binuo,” says the narrator. Additionally, hindi man lang nakakuha ng mayorya ng mga senador para pirmahan ‘yung report. So wala pa pong report ‘yan (They didn’t come up with any laws.) The report didn’t even get the signatures of the majority of the committee members),” he said.

Gordon’s use of the PRC in his political commercials, he added, is “embarrassing.”

“Nakakahiya na tayo lang ‘yung mayroong chairperson na ginagamit ‘yung Red Cross sa advertisement niya sa eleksiyon,” he said.

With Roque in the Senate, Duterte suggested in a privileged speech that he may alert the International Red Cross about Gordon’s alleged wrongdoings.

“Kaya gusto ko nandiyan ka sa Senado,” says the narrator. Magsabi ka ng totoo, hihingiin ko lang. (That is why I want you to be there in the Senate.) Mag-privilege speech ka lang, and you simply say the truth and nothing but the truth para malaman ng tao, para malaman ng International Red Cross kung anong ginagawa nitong kumag na ‘to. I’m just going to ask you to tell it how it is. Just give a big speech and say the truth and nothing but the truth so that people know what he’s up to and so that the International Red Cross knows what he’s up to),” he continued.

Gordon exploited the PRC as a “milking cow” to fund his election campaign, according to Duterte.

‘Determination to pursue justice’

Meanwhile, Duterte praised Roque’s “zeal to seek justice,” as well as other attributes that made him an excellent Senate candidate.

“Nakita namin ‘yung zeal mo,’yung (We saw your fervor, the), the fire within you to do justice to everyone,” says the narrator. “That’s when we started to look up to you,” Duterte told Roque.

Roque, a former House Deputy Minority Leader, was known for standing up for the underserved.

He represented Ampatuan massacre victims in 2009, World War II rape victims, the family of murdered transgender Jennifer Laude, and the family of murdered journalist Gerry Ortega.

“Malaki ang maitulong niyan sa bayan, sinasabi ko sa inyo.” Roque, kaya niya lahat (I am telling you that he will be of great assistance to the country.) Roque has the ability to accomplish anything). He’s a lawyer who works on a global scale. Please vote for him. “It’s for you, not for me,” added Duterte.

He also praised Roque’s “well-founded criticism” of him in regards to his contentious drug campaign. In multiple statements as a member of the lower house, Roque spoke out against the anti-narcotics program.

“I eventually took you in as my spokesman because I prefer individuals who tell me the truth, even if it makes me upset, and this is your case, this is what you’re doing,” she says. And you had the audacity to criticize me, which I admire,” Duterte said to Roque.

After learning that there is no proof linking Duterte to vigilante killings in Davao City, Roque, who researched the Davao Death Squad, claimed he stopped denouncing the drug campaign.

He remarked, “Wala naman akong nakitang ebidensiya na (I found no evidence that) then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was behind it.”

He also agreed with Duterte that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has jurisdiction over the Philippines and hence cannot order a probe into drug-related killings.

“Ang ICC mayroon lang namang hurisdiksiyon kung ang ating mga lokal na mga institusyon ay hindi gumagana,” said the president. Ngayon nga po gumagana, nako-convict naman po ‘yung mga pulis na talagang iligal ang pagpapatay (Only if our local institutions are not functioning will the ICC have jurisdiction.) However, they are operational, and officers involved in illegal killings are prosecuted),” he noted.

Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte form the UniTeam senatorial ticket, which includes Roque.

Save/Share this story with QR CODE

---

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute endorsement of any specific technologies or methodologies and financial advice or endorsement of any specific products or services.

Need to get in touch?

Feel free to Contact NextGenDay.com for comments, suggestions, reviews, or anything else.

---

We appreciate your reading. Simple Ways To Say Thanks & Support Us:
1.) GIVE A TIP. Send a small donation thru Paypal
Your DONATION will be used to fund and maintain NEXTGENDAY.com
Subscribers in the Philippines can make donations to mobile number 0917 906 3081, thru GCash.
3.) BUY or SIGN UP to our AFFILIATE PARTNERS.
4.) Give this news article a THUMBS UP, and Leave a Comment (at Least Five Words).

---

AFFILIATE PARTNERS

World Class Nutritional Supplements - Buy Highest Quality Products, Purest Most Healthy Ingredients, Direct to your Door! Up to 90% OFF.
Join LiveGood Today - A company created to satisfy the world's most demanding leaders and entrepreneurs, with the best compensation plan today.

---