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Gordon returns Duterte's dare: Do your worst


Unfazed with the fresh tirades launched against him, Senator Richard Gordon on Tuesday slammed President Rodrigo Duterte whom he tagged as a “bully” and returned the latter’s dare to do his “worst.”

“Quite frankly, Mr. President, you are boring. Di ako natatakot sa inyo. Di po ako duwag (I am not afraid of you. I am not a coward). Do your worst, as you did with the ABS-CBN. Do your worst like what you did to senator who was elected by the people," Gordon said.

Gordon did not mention the name of the senator but Senator Leila de Lima, a staunch critic of Duterte, was jailed in 2017 after she was accused of involvement in illegal drug operations at the New Bilibid Prison during her time as Justice secretary.

"I know you will try to do your worst like you did with Speaker (Prospero)Nograles before, when you used ‘P.I.’ to a very very respected schoolmate from Ateneo,” he added.

The legislator made the remark in his opening speech during the continuation of the Senate blue ribbon panel’s probe into the alleged overpriced pandemic supplies.

“I’m not going to waste my time with you, Mr. President, because you're no longer respectable as far as I’m concerned and as far as most of the Filipinos are concerned,” he added.

To recall, Duterte, in his previous public address, told Gordon to “do his worst” if they will continue to quarrel.

“Wala akong pakialam ‘di ako nagbigay ng pera sa’yo and as far as I’m concerned, Red Cross does not exist. You can create a controversy there or a crisis. I do not mind because I said I’m on the right track. Either you submit the auditing procedure or we quarrel. If we quarrel do your worst because I will do mine,” Duterte said last September 11.

Gordon told the President that he is not a coward, tagging Duterte as a “bully.”

“Saktan ninyo na ako. Akala ninyo ba matatakot ninyo ako? Pinatay ang tatay, pinahirapan ang tatay ko. Ginagranada, inaabangan.  You think matatakot ako sa isang nilalang? Takot ako sa Diyos. Takot ako sa tao pero hindi ako duwag, Mr. President,” he said.

(You can hurt me but I will never back out. My father was assassinated, grenade was thrown at him, there was also an ambush attempt. Do you think I will be afraid of one person? I fear God. I fear the people but I am not a coward, Mr. President.)

“You’re a bully. And I’m sorry, Mr. President, but the Filipino people can fight back against bullies. Filipinos can have a revolution against bullies,” he added.

Gordon slammed “Attorney Duterte” anew for lawyering for the Chinese businessmen and his appointees.

Moreover, Gordon questioned Duterte’s use of his regular public briefing to “lambaste” him, the Senate, and the Philippine Red Cross.

“Atty. Rodrigo Duterte, instead of reporting to the people, spent the time of this government, the national television to lambaste the Senate and lambaste this person,” the senator said.

“Instead of talking about the pandemic, jobs and unemployment, he decided that he would try to demolish this person as well as even the society that I have religiously worked without pay for the last 53 years,” he added.

In his latest public address aired Tuesday night, Duterte asked Gordon to answer allegations that he had parked P88 million “pork barrel” funds to the PRC.

The President also warned of “trouble in government” if his Cabinet men will be detained by Gordon and the Senate.

Duterte likewise ordered an investigation into the alleged “false positive” COVID-19 test results conducted by the PRC.—AOL, GMA News

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