MANILA, Philippines – With his opponents ganging up on him, new presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte is advising his rivals to pray and “cry sincerely” for their ratings to rise.
The Davao City mayor, however, conceded that the ratings could change as he expressed hope that he would maintain his lead.
He twitted his closest rival Sen. Grace Poe, noting her new emphasis on going after drug dealers and fighting criminality if she wins.
“Wala silang originality, bankruptcy of the mind,” Duterte told reporters during his campaign sortie in Cainta, Rizal last Tuesday.
Duterte’s runningmate Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano also questioned Poe’s announced plan to stop crime and illegal drugs.
Cayetano dared Poe to publish her timeline, noting that she did nothing to stop the twin scourges in the past years when she chaired the committee on public order.
“Why only now? Didn’t you think it was urgent until it was brought up by our side?” Cayetano said in Filipino.
Poe had promised before some local government officials in Surigao City that she would stop crime and illegal drugs, but in a “fair and just” manner.
“Our problems that have to do with crime and drugs will be immediately addressed, but it will be addressed fairly and justly hindi lang po patayan ang solusyon palagi (killing is not the only solution),” Poe said.
Duterte, who grabbed the top spot from Poe in recent surveys, remained strong with his stance against crime, illegal drugs and corruption.
He said that he would use the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the military to hunt and kill the criminals in the first six months of his presidency.
“I said I will destroy the criminality and everything, go after them, ganyan lang. Alam mo, you stop them, hold them, assuming may pinatay ako bukas, mayroon na namang bago ulit (I killed one tomorrow, another will replace him),” he told reporters.
Duterte believes that an “iron fist” is what the Filipino people needs to instill discipline in his administration.
Duterte urged the Filipino people not to vote for Vice President Jejomar Binay because he will surely steal the money of the people if he wins.
Duterte told reporters that if Binay wins, the Filipino people will suffer as he would steal the treasury unlike him, if he wins, only the criminals will suffer the consequences because of committing crimes.
Duterte’s partner Honeylet Avanceña also defended the mayor from Binay’s tirade that he has no respect for women and children.
She told The STAR that Duterte’s former wife would not come out and support his presidential bid if he is disrespectful to women.
“Siya ang pinaka respectful kasi lahat ng babae ay tinatawag niyang ma’m (He is the most respectful because he calls all women ma’m),” she said.
Avanceña was referring to Duterte’s ex-wife Elizabeth Zimmerman, who stopped her cancer therapy to join their daughter Sara in campaigning for the mayor through the “Biyaheng Du30 2016” caravan.
She said she is not affected by the dirty tactics that Duterte’s rivals are now employing.
Zimmerman, who ceased radiation sessions to embark on a 30-day bus journey to campaign for her husband, is celebrating her 68th birthday today in Cebu where their bus arrived yesterday morning.
“We remained good friends despite the annulment of our marriage. Some people are negative about it, I know. But he is still the father of my children – that is why we remained friends,” said Zimmerman, adding that their marriage in church has not been annulled yet.
Their daughter, former mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, said that the celebration of her mother’s birthday will be marked with a simple lunch.
Zimmerman arrived in Cebu Wednesday morning onboard the Biyaheng DU30 bus, which has been on the road since April 5.
Initiated by Zimmerman and Sara, Biyaheng DU30 is a parallel campaign for the presidential bid of Duterte.
Despite the annulment of their marriage in 1998, the former couple maintained a friendly relationship, always keeping lines of communication open.
They were married for almost 25 years and had three children – Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, lawyer Sara and entrepreneur Sebastian.
Duterte said the hope he offers to people is the reason thousands turn up at his political rallies even in Metro Manila and that the clamor for him to become president has grown.
“I do not know. But maybe I am just hoping that I provide the hope. The people are really pissed off with this government. If you want change I might decide to change the government altogether. I feel sad for my country,” Duterte said.
Duterte said he is humbled by the results of the recent surveys that showed him in the lead.
But the mayor said he also hopes he could maintain this especially as the May 9 polls draw near.
“It’s nearing end time, with 25 days to go. I hope I could maintain the lead,” Duterte told The STAR.
Duterte likewise said he is aware of the possibility of cheating or rigging the results of the elections.
“I do not have any control over that. But what I can say is nobody can question or doubt my sincerity or my love for country… that is something that they can never question as a government worker,” he added.
Duterte’s spokesman Peter Laviña claimed that the mayor’s rivals are rattled by the latest survey results and have resorted to black propaganda.
He said that it is not democracy that is being threatened by Duterte’s brand of presidency, but the political ambitions of his rivals.
“It is not democracy that is being threatened by Duterte. It is Mar Roxas and his ambition to become president and the ruling class, the same ruling class represented by Poe and Binay,” Laviña said.
Duterte topped both the Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations surveys late March into early April.
Laviña said that Duterte is banking on the support of thousands of farmers, workers, lower and upper middle class and even a section of the elite, which his rivals do not have.
Duterte also advised his rivals, particularly Binay and Roxas, to pray for their ratings to improve in the surveys.
“Luhod ka sa Diyos, mag-iyak ka ng sinsero (Kneel down to God, cry sincerely),” Duterte said.
The camp of Duterte said they are expecting black propaganda and personal attacks against their candidate to intensify as the campaign heads to the finish.
“We have been seeing old issues being resurrected with more intensity,” Leoncio Evasco, Duterte’s national campaign manager, said in a statement. - With Rhodina Villanueva, Edith Regalado