Duterte, Roxas in new word war over 6-month promise to end crime

JORDAN, Guimaras - Presidential bets Rodrigo Duterte and Manuel “Mar” Roxas II are once again in a word war following the Liberal Party bet's dismissal of the Davao City mayor's promise to end criminality in the Philippines in three to six months.

Roxas had earlier said Duterte’s promise was simply “impossible,” citing his failure to lower the incidents of crime in Davao during his term as city mayor.

"Itong three to six months na ito, pambobola ito eh. Lahat ng eksperto na nakakaalam sa krimen, nagsasabing imposible ito," Roxas said.

Duterte responded by calling Roxas “bayot” or gay.

“Si Mar, bayot. 'Di niya kaya...Kaya ko kasi lalaki ako. Kundi ka lalaki, papano 'yan," the Davao City mayor said.

Roxas then scored Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for resorting to name-calling in the presidential campaign.

“Alam mo ito lang masasabi ko. Digong hindi ka ba nahihiya sa kababayan natin? Binigyan kita ng facts, datos, katotohanan. Ang iyong masasagot lang ay paninira, name-calling,” Roxas told reporters in a chance interview here.

“Hangga’t diyan lang ba ang kakayahan mo? Ang makapag-argue ang pag-discuss ng mahahalagang isyu na siyang bumabalot sa buhay ng ating kababayan,” he said.

Duterte and Roxas are in a five-way presidential race against Vice President Jejomar Binay, and Senators Grace Poe and Miriam Defensor-Santiago. —JST, GMA News