Duterte remark a warning to Loot, others accused of drug involvement —Lacson, Go

Joke or not, President Rodrigo Duterte’s remark seeming to indicate that he ordered the hit on former Daanbantayan, Cebu mayor Vicente Loot should serve as a warning to the latter and other government officials tagged or involved in illegal drugs, at least two senators said Wednesday.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said Duterte should be asked first if he was joking or not when he made the statement because people should already be familiar with his remarks.

“Midway into his term, we should already be familiar with his penchant for saying something as serious as that and dismissing it as a joke afterwards,” Lacson said when sought for comment.

“Joke or not, Mayor Loot would be better off minding his physical security 24/7,” he added.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, former special assistant of Duterte, said the President was just joking. However, his remark was also a warning, Go added.

“Alam niyo naman si Pangulo, ganu'n talaga siya magsalita at mag-speech. Bakit naman niya sasabihin at bakit naman niya aaminin na siya ang nagpa-ambush? Hindi gagawin ni Pangulo ‘yan,” he told reporters.

“Biro, ganu'n. Pero warning ‘yun sa lahat (na) 'pag pumasok kayo sa droga, 'pag gobernador o maging mayor man kayo, basta pumasok kayo sa droga, at your own risk,” he said.

“Ako na po ang nagsasabi sa inyo, I’ve known the President for the past 21 years, maging totoo man o maging hindi totoo ‘yung sinabi niya sa kanyang speeches o sa kanyang bulong o sa kanyang body language, bantayan na lang po,” he added.

Asked if he thinks the President really ordered the ambush of Loot, Go answered in the negative.

“Hindi gagawin ni Presidente ‘yan at hindi niya ‘yun aaminin in public kung siya ang gagawa nu'n,” he reiterated.

In a speech at the oath-taking ceremony of newly appointed officials in Malacañang Tuesday, Duterte said: “General Loot. P— ina mo. Nanalo pa ng mayor. In-ambush kita, animal ka. Buhay pa rin.”

The President earlier denied any role in the 2018 ambush of Loot and even accused former Interior secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II of ordering it.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Wednesday said what Duterte meant was that Loot is still alive despite being ambushed.

He chalked Duterte's rather confusing statement to the President not being "proficient in the Filipino vernacular." —KG, GMA News