Drilon: Nothing personal vs. Duterte family in push for anti-dynasty law

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Tuesday said there is nothing personal when he dared President Rodrigo Duterte to use his political clout to encourage Congress to pass an anti-dynasty law.

"Ang pagkakaakala niya, tinutukoy ko ang kaniyang pamilya," Drilon said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, adding his stand against political dynasties is a matter of "principle."

"Yan ay isang prinsipyo at ako ay naniniwala na may sapat na standard ang pangulo na kaniyang itutulak itong anti-dynasty law considering his political clout," he said.

Duterte lambasted Drilon during his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, at one time calling him "hypocrite" and accusing him of being on the side of the Lopez family, owners of ABS-CBN Corporation.

To recall, after Duterte's controversial Jolo speech earlier this month about dismantling oligarchy made the news, Drilon dared the president to pass an anti-dynasty law — a challenge that apparently did not sit well with Duterte who has three children occupying elected positions.

Drilon, in the radio interview, said he has nothing personal against the Duterte family.

"Hindi ko pinipersonal ang pamilya ng pangulo. Yan (anti-dynasty) po ay prinsipyo ko. Bago pa dumating ang pangulo sa Malacañang ay 'yan na po ang aking paniniwala," he said.

Duterte's eldest son Paolo represents the first district of Davao City in the House of Representatives, while his daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, is Davao City mayor and his youngest son, Sebastian, is the vice mayor.

Meanwhile, in the same interview, Drilon maintained that he was not defending the Lopezes but press freedom when he criticized the House committee's decision to junk ABS-CBN's franchise application.

"Wala akong utang ng loob sa mga Lopezes, sila po ay kaibigan ko dahil kababayan ko sila pero wala kaming relasyon," he said.

Drilon said like Duterte, he had political ads that the network failed to air in 2016.

He also denied having a hand as part of ACCRA law firm in the drafting of a concession contract with Ayala Water — an accusation that Duterte also mentioned in his SONA.

"On the grave of my parents, sinusumpa ko na ni isang period, hindi ako kasama diyan sa concession agreement. Yan ay nabuo noong panahon ni Pangulong [Fidel] Ramos at ako ay nasa Senado na noon," he said. —KBK, GMA News