Duterte camp claims supporters attacked, threatened

A week before the May 9 national and local elections, the camp of presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Monday claimed their supporters have been attacked and threatened.

“We expect more attacks and threats to come as the day of reckoning approaches. It is one thing to bully us on social media and other fronts, quite another to actually attack us physically,” Duterte spokesperson Peter Laviña said in a statement.

Laviña said they received reports that the vehicle of a radio block timer in Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte was riddled with bullets after he disembarked from Charm Radio at around 8 a.m. on Monday.

He said the radio block timer, a Duterte supporter, is a critic of the ruling Liberal Party. He said the suspects are riding in tandem, wearing black bonnets.

Laviña added that the Byaheng Du30 caravan, led by Duterte’s former wife Elizabeth Zimmerman and their daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio, also faced some threats on their way to Camiguin.

Duterte’s spokesperson said there were metal spikes on some roads in Camiguin.

“At the rally, supporters of Mayor Duterte told the team to watch out for spikes as several were found on the road where they are going to pass,” Laviña said.

“One of the caravan drivers who saw the spikes said they were at least two inches wide,” he added.

He then reminded the supporters not to afraid but also not be careless during the last stretch of the elections.

"We call on supporters of Mayor Duterte: Do not be afraid, but at the same time, do not be careless. Change is coming, and he comes by the name of Rodrigo Duterte," Laviña said.

Fake supporters

Meanwhile, Duterte’s national campaign manager Leoncio Evasco Jr. also revealed another “tactic” that their rivals employ.

He said that an unnamed presidential candidate created fake Duterte supporters to physically hurt the supporters of other candidates. This way, Duterte’s camp will be blamed for the incident.

“The special operation involves men who  wear Duterte shirts and other materials that are identifiable with Duterte,” he said.

Evasco then called on Duterte’s supporters to once again take the moral high ground and respect the choices of other people. He even warned them against confrontations that may erupt in violence. — RSJ, GMA News