Otso Diretso bets hit back at Duterte for lashing out at them

Senatorial bets under the Otso Diretso coalition on Monday hit back at President Rodrigo Duterte for lashing out at almost each one of them as he campaigned for his preferred candidates in the midterm elections in May.

In a statement, former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay reminded Duterte that the job of the opposition, by its nature, is to oppose the wrongdoings of the government.

"Demokrasya pa rin naman tayo, at hindi diktadurya, 'di ho ba? Wala pong personalan, trabaho lang," Hilbay said.

Duterte, in his speech at a PDP-Laban rally in Zamboanga City on Sunday, questioned the qualification of Hilbay in running for the Senate and compared him to senatorial aspirant Francis Tolentino.

In response, Hilbay reminded Duterte that he is the lawyer who helped won the arbitration case of the Philippines against China as regards the West Philippine Sea territorial dispute.

"Nakilala niyo na po ako in person. Nagkita tayo noong araw na lumabas iyong ruling ng kaso at humingi kayo ng briefing," Hilbay said.

"Nagpapakilala po ulit ako kasi parang nakalimot na naman kayo. Kasi mismong iyong ruling na naipanalo natin ang West Philippine Sea laban sa China, nakalimutan niyo na rin," he added.

For his part, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno quoted a statement by his father, the late Senator Jose W. Diokno, to whom Duterte said the younger Diokno has no match.

"Alalahanin natin ang sinabi ng aking ama, 'Yes-men are not compatible with democracy. We can strengthen our leaders by pointing out what they are doing that is wrong,'" Diokno said.

"Tungkulin ng oposisyon na kuwestiyunin, punahin, at magbigay ng alternatibo sa pagpapatakbo sa pamahalaan. Huwag naman sanang balat-sibuyas ang ating pangulo – ito ang diwa ng demokrasya," he added.

Diokno also took a swipe at Duterte's preferred senatorial candidates who, he said, have not done anything but to make enormous tarpaulins.

"Hindi kami gagawa ng tarpaulin sa Senado, mga batas po ang gagawin namin doon, na kailangang pagdebatehan," Diokno said.

Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano, meanwhile, slammed Duterte for calling him out for his role in the unsuccessful mutinies led by then-Navy officer and now Senator Antonio Trillanes IV against the Arroyo administration.

"Ang aming pag-aklas ay dahil sa talamak na kurapsyon sa gobyerno at kakulangan ng suporta sa mga tropa sa frontlines. Sila ang napapahamak habang ang ilang mga opisyal ng gobyerno ay nagpapakasasa sa nakaw na pera ng bayan," Alejano said.

"I appreciate what you are doing for our military and uniformed personnel but let me remind you that it should not result to personal loyalty to you. Hindi nabibili ang pagsilbi at pagmamahal sa bayan," he added.

Alejano told Duterte that while he criticizes the administration, he also provides solutions and alternatives to the supposed anti-people policies of the government.

"Ang eleksyon sa Mayo ay hindi nakasentro sayo na ang tingin mo sa qualifications ng mga tumatakbo ay iyong tatahimik at tatango tango sa mga kagustuhan mo. Ang eleksiyong ito ay para sa kinabukasan ng mga Pilipino," Alejano said.

For her part, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc thanked Duterte for sparing her from his tirades and for showing her respect. Still, she called on him to halt his plan to make his war on drugs "bloodier" during the second half of his presidency.

"Mr. President, I respect you drug war, pero ang kailangan po natin ay drug war laban sa mga drug lords at drug war kontra sa source ng droga. We should work for better enforcement," Gutoc said.

Former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, meanwhile, decided not to comment on Duterte's statement as he did not personally hear or see what the President said.

"Hindi ako magko-comment dahil hindi ko naman nakita o nadinig at hindi naman ako ang tagapagsalita ng Otso Diretso," Roxas said at the sidelines of his campaign event in Tala, Caloocan City.

"Ako, I campaign on kung ano na ang nagawa ko tulad ng paglikha ng trabaho sa call centers, sa pagbaba ng singil or presyo ng mga gamot lalong lalo na yung mga maintenance," he added. —KBK, GMA News