Ex-president Duterte revives ‘drug addict’ tag vs Marcos, jokes about killing senators

Former president Rodrigo Duterte during the PDP-Laban proclamation rally. Screengrab from PDP-Laban Facebook page

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 14 February) — Things have continued to heat up between the camps of former president Rodrigo Duterte and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as the official campaign period for the midterm Senate elections kicked off this week.

During the proclamation rally of Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino senatorial candidates Thursday night, Duterte again called Marcos a drug addict.

He further spiced up his speech by cracking a joke that it might be necessary to kill some senators to enable his candidates to get elected to the 24-member chamber.

“Maybe a constant heroin user,” the former president said after criticizing Marcos’ “inability” to solve problems like insufficient rice supply, which he called “ironic” for an agricultural country like the Philippines.

“Merong isang presidente na talagang bangag. Hindi naman buang, pero ang bisyo ng droga long term ‘yan. Maging ulol si Marcos. Maybe constant use of heroin… aabot pa siguro siya ng 80 (There’s a president who’s really an addict. He’s not insane, but drug addiction is a long-term vice. Marcos will go crazy. Maybe constant use of heroin… he might live up to 80),” Duterte said.

“Pero pagdating sa panahon na ‘yan, hindi na siya gumagalaw. Either nakatindig lang iyan sa kuwarto niya o natutulog (But by that time, he can no longer move. Either he will just stand in his room or sleep),” he added, igniting loud cheers from the crowd. 

Duterte said that if he were a drug addict, he might join Marcos in sniffing drugs, as the latter is the president.

The former president, who said Marcos “has fallen short” of the people’s expectations, was apparently reacting to Marcos’ statement during the proclamation rally of the administration’s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas in Laoag City on February 11.

Marcos said none of his senatorial candidates is facing accusations of human rights violations, involvement in abuses linked to the “drug war,” corruption during the pandemic, betrayal of national sovereignty, and supporting crimes linked to POGO activities.

“Tayo ba ay papayag na babalik sa panahong kung kailan gusto ng ating mga liderato maging probinsya tayo ng Tsina? Babalik ba tayo sa nakaraan na ibinubugaw ang ating bayan bilang isang sugalan ng mga dayuhan (Shall we allow a return to the time that our leaders wanted us to become a province of China? Shall we return to the past where our country is being pimped out as a gambling place for foreigners)?” Marcos, alluding to Duterte’s pro-China stance and open-arms policy towards POGOs, said.

Marcos was also alluding to allegations of graft in the procurement of vaccines and other medical supplies by the previous administration during the pandemic, and to the bloody “war on drugs,” for which the country is being investigated by the International Criminal Court.

Duterte responded that his slate is good enough for the Senate, as most of them are lawyers and “have the heart for public service.”

PDP-Laban has fielded six candidates (reelectionists Bong Go and Ronald dela Rosa, lawyers Jimmy Bondoc, Raul Lambino and Jayvee Hinlo, and actor Philip Salvador) and adopted three other aspirants (Sagip Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez, and Apollo Quiboloy, who is being detained for sexual abuse and other cases).

Duterte challenged voters to vote for the administration candidates if they are satisfied with the government’s performance.

Duterte said in jest that he might “kill other senators” so that his slate can enter the Senate.

“Ngayon marami kasi sila (opponents) Ano dapat ang gawin natin? Patayin natin yung mga Senador ngayon para ma-bakante. Kung makapatay tayo, tanan, mga 15 na Senador. Pasok na tayo lahat (There are plenty of them. What should we do? Let’s kill the incumbent senators to create vacancies. If we can kill, all, around 15 senators, we’re all in),” he said.

Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte also took a swipe at the Marcos government, calling it “abusive and oppressive.”

“Habang nagsusumikap tayong humakbang patungo sa isang maunlad na bukas, ay pilit naman tayong hinihila pabalik ng administrasyon ni Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sa isang mapang abuso at mapagmalabis na pamahalaan (While we strive to move forward towards a prosperous future, the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is dragging us back into an abusive and oppressive government),” Duterte said in his prepared speech during the event.

During the Maisug rally in Davao City on January 28 last year, the younger Duterte called on Marcos to resign. (Ian Carl Espinosa/MindaNews)