by Miriam G. Desacada
Tacloban City–Former president Rodrigo “Digong” Roa Duterte (FPRRD) dismissed as untrue the trending statement that he and his two sons, Baste and Paolo, will be running for senator in the 2025 elections.
This statement however came from his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, who told the media in an earlier interview, that in 2028 she will return to the mayorship of Davao City and that her father and two brothers will be running for Senate seats next year.
FPRRD, who visited Tacloban City with son Baste, currently Davao City mayor, and other companions notably anti-corruption lawyer Levito Baligod of the UP Vanguards, belied Sara’s statement as nothing but a ridiculous answer she gave to ridiculous question from somebody asking her, in her usual manner.
“Saan ka nakakita na ang tatay at ang kanyang dalawang anak ay tatakbo para Senado. Palagay nating tatakbo kami at manalo, anong gagawin namin sa Senate? Naloko na,” he said as he poked fun on the possible scenario.
FPRRD turned serious and said, “Hindi na ako babalik ng politika. Laos na ako. Wala na akong panggastos. Ang naiwan sa akin, siguro yabang. Hindi naman ako galit. Si De Lima lang ang galit sa akin. Akala niya may makukuha pa siya sa akin.”
The former president shifted his comments on De Lima, who was imprisoned during his term for drug trading cases. “She should be at peace with her life now, after the court acquitted her when the prosecution failed to pin her down of criminal cases in illegal drugs as a protector,” said FPRRD who attended the Tacloban City annual fiesta on May 29 to 30.
“Even if she submits herself to crucifixion, maski anong gawin niya, what she did shamed the entire generation after her. They will bear her name but the shame will be there,” he said.
When asked of his reaction to the recent tirades of De Lima against his acts of political persecution of her, FPRRD said: “Find your (De Lima) peace where you are now. Huwag kang magkalikot ng away kasi pagsisihan mo yan. Anong babawiin mo sa akin? Hindi naman ako nag rock in roll,” in deference to the video of De Lima showing her dancing in a rock concert of a convicted drug lord inside the Bilibid.
“Why blame me when she was the one exposing herself in an exhibition that was circulated to the public,” he said.
FPRRD meanwhile visited the relocation site at the city’s northern part of the survivors of supertyphoon Yolanda that hit Tacloban in 2013, when he was one of the rescue and aid responders. He met with some of the survivors there and he noted their smiles and happy faces in coping up with that tragedy in their lives.
After this site visit, FPRRD proceeded to the Sto. Niño church where he spent moments of prayer and lighting of candles, as art of the Catholic tradition, especially during religious fiestas.
However, Tingog Partylist Rep. Jude Acidre, a Taclobanon himself, mocked the act of FPRRD upon learning about the latter’s church visit. He said that it is only now that he knows FPRRD is a devotee of the Sto. Niño, when it never happened through six years as the President.
When asked about Acidre’s remark, FPPRD replied that the congressman, an ally of Speaker Romualdez, “forgot that I am a Leyteño, because I was born in Leyte.”
“Besides, it’s been the tradition of Catholics who go to fiestas to visit the church to pray,” he added.
Meanwhile, the visibly irked FPRRD, warned the ICC over the impending serving of an arrest warrant against him. “I don’t give a shit whether they come in. For me, they have no jurisdiction. RP already left ICC. We are not part of the ICC. If they would insist that there is a case there that would warrant for my arrest. Hintayin ko pagdating nila,” he said.
But he said, he doesn’t want the Filipino police or the NBI to be the ones to face me and serve the warrant. “Gusto ko yung taga ICC mismo ang magdala ng papel, warrant, kung sino man yun. Kasi pagbigay niya sa akin, ipakain ko talaga sa kanyang ang papel or I’ll deliver you to hell,” he said.
FPRRD, his son Baste, and some people from Davao, were received in Tacloban by the members of the Maisog organization. Baligod also spearheaded the side activity of distributing rice to the selected indigents of Tacloban.
Many observers however noted that City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, a cousin of the President, did not meet with FPRRD. Some said it maybe expected, while reliable sources said the two leaders just haven’t got a coordinated time to meet each other, considering the busy schedule of the mayor amid fiesta activities.
FPRRD however did not attempt to have an audience with the city mayor, as he had already pre-set commitments with the Maisog group that invited him and son Baste. —-Miriam G. Desacada