Duterte says Roxas not fit to run for president
October 16, 2015 10:21pm
While denying any plan to run for president in 2016, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas may not be fit to be president.
"Sabi ko, maghintay lang kayo ng panahon na sabihin ko sa buong Pilipinas kung bakit itong tao na ito, hindi ito pwedeng maging presidente," Duterte declared in a radio interview.
The Davao mayor initially refused to name Roxas but eventually relented and amended his statement accordingly.
"Sinabi ko lang. Akin lang 'yan. Bahala na yung tao," Duterte said.
Part of the reason behind Duterte's conclusion was the throat cancer rumors that allegedly came from persons close to Roxas.
"Siguro yung kampo nila naniwala talaga na tatakbo ako. They started to hit me very early in a very, very... madumi," Duterte said.
He said the attack was personal as his ex-wife Elizabeth had cancer and recently went abroad for a bypass before giving hints about the identity of the person who may have spread the rumors.
Duterte went on to say that the attack was unexpected as he and Roxas served in the 11th Congress together.
"Hindi ko akalain na bibirahin nila ako. Madumi talaga. The one handling this is madumi talaga. Ang commander-in-chief ng pagpapatakbo ng kaso. Ewan ko kung baka a certain, kung kilala ko ito," Duterte said.
Yet the animosity between him and those who spread the rumors was not enough for Duterte to actively campaign against Roxas' bid for presidency.
"I might just refuse to campaign for him. Kaibigan ko 'yan," he said.
Duterte said he had no idea if Roxas approved of spreading the rumors, but explained that such a move needed clearance from political leaders.
Sought for Roxas' side, Team Daang Matuwid spokesman Akbayan Representative Ibarra Gutierrez denied that the former secretary had anything to do with the reports.
He said the journalist who posted the report on the alleged cancer already denied that he was connected with Roxas.
"This misunderstanding between Former Secretary Mar Roxas and his long-time friend Davao Mayor Digong Duterte is very unfortunate. Mismong si Philip Lustre na ang nagsabing hindi siya konektado sa kampo ni Secretary Roxas," Gutierrez said.
"Wala po sa pagkatao ni Secretary Mar na magpakalat ng mga ganitong storya, lalo na tungkol sa isang taong matagal na niyang kaibigan. Kung maaalala natin, biktima ng kanser ang pumanaw nyang ama at kapatid kaya sensitibo ang issue na ito sa kanya," he added. -Rie Takumi/NB/JST, GMA News