MANILA, Philippines — Hugpong ng Pagbabago head and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte hit “Otso Diretso” candidates for being “fixated” on debates.
An ABS-CBN report quoted Duterte as saying that she would have wanted to help the opposition bets but she did not want to “share her light” with the “very depressing” Otso Diretso slate.
“Di ko na alam saan nangagaling ‘yang fixation na ‘yan,” the Davao City mayor quipped.
She also likened the “fixated” Otso Diretso bets to black holes.
“If the Hugpong-supported candidates are the sun, the Hugpong ng Pagbabago is the moon, they are like a black hole. Very depressing, dark and very disorganized,” she said in a mix of Filipino and English.
“I wanted to help them but I decided I will not share my light anymore sa kanila,” she added.
She continued railing against the opposition slate stressing that the administration-backed candidates are willing to debate but it was hastily created.
“Very unprofessional and not they are ordering me around,” Duterte added.
READ: Sara Duterte wants organized, not 'palengke-style' debates
“I am the mayor of Davao City. I am the chairman of HNP, then they are turning me into a secretary of a group that has an obsessive disorder, that has a fixation on debate. Why are they bossing me around?” she added.
Earlier today, Rep. Gary Alejano (Magdalo party-list), Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc and lawyers Romulo Macalintal, Florin Hilbay and Chel Diokno asked the Commission on Elections to facilitate the debate between the two parties.
They noted Duterte’s earlier statement that they want a third party organizer for the debate.
Otso Diretso’s letter to the poll body came after Hugpong candidates snubbed on Monday the opposition slate’s debate challenge at Plaza Miranda. — Kristine Joy Patag