Romualdez to Dutertes: Stop lying, plotting Marcos' ouster

Speaker Martin Romualdez on Monday called on former President Rodrigo Duterte and his son, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, to stop lying to the public about Charter change, among other budol-budol (scam) stories, saying such actions are aimed at ousting President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

Romualdez issued the statement a day after the former President said Marcos is someone “bangag”, a Filipino term for someone high on illegal drugs. Duterte also said Marcos was on the narco/drug list of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). Sebastian on the other hand called on Marcos to step down as president if he has no love and aspirations for the country.

“So unless you have proof na 'yung mga alegasyon ninyo na kung bakit nananawagan dyan na sa ating mahal na Presidente Ferdinand R. Marcos na bumaba sa pwesto sana mag isip-isip muna kayo, mag-isip muna kayo at ilabas 'yung mga pruweba. Kasi alam natin hindi totoo ang mga sinasabi ninyo,” Romualdez said in a statement released by his office on Monday morning.

(Unless you can prove these allegations behind your call for our beloved President to step down from his post, better think. Think first and show proof. Because we all know what you are saying is not true.)

Romualdez made these remarks during the party leaders’ caucus late Sunday night coinciding with the kick-off campaign rally for Bagong Pilipinas at the Quirino Grandstand.

“Tigilan nyo na 'yung mga budol-budol n'yo 'di ba. Dapat seryoso na tayo at igalang na lang natin ang ating Presidente na nagtatrabaho ng maigi. Masipag sya at talagang tinatrabaho n'ya 'yung magandang buhay para sa mga Pilipino,” he added.

(Stop making up stories. We should be serious here, and respect the President who is working hard. He works hard to give Filipinos a better life.)

He then said the Dutertes should be able to give respect to the President, since they were accorded the same, rather than calling for the President’s ouster.

“Masyadong maaga naman ninyo gustong ipabagsak ang rehimen ng President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., very popular and he was elected with a bigger mandate than the former president. Kaya't igalang naman natin 'yan. 'Yan po ang mandato ng taumbayan ng Pilipinas," the Speaker added.

(It is too early for you to wish for the downfall of the regime of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. who is very popular and he was elected with a bigger mandate than the former president. That is why we should respect the mandate the people gave him.)

“Sa pamilyang Duterte, siguro konting galang naman sa ating mahal na presidente tsaka sa pamilya n'ya. Noong panahon ng rehimen n'yo, iginalang naman kayo,” he added.

(To the Dutertes, kindly respect the President and his family. During your regime, you were respected.)

The PDEA on Monday already denied that the President was ever on its drug list.

Romualdez echoed PDEA and called out Duterte, whom he served as House majority leader at the and of the 18th Congress, for making up stories.

“Kaya hindi ko alam kung nag iisto-istorya ka na naman. Tigilian mo na 'yung budol-budol galing sa Davao,” Romualdez said, referring to the rally in Davao City also held on Sunday to oppose the ongoing signature drive for a people's initiative for Charter change (Cha-cha).

(I don't know if you are making up stories again. Stop telling lies from Davao.)

In addition, the Speaker called out Duterte for calling a stop to efforts to change the 1987 Constitution when the former leader advocated for it when he was president.

"He pushed for federalism as a new form of government. Since he was not able to do it and there is a viable effort for charter amendments now, maybe that is why he is maligning it," Romualdez said. —KG, GMA Integrated News