Duterte scolds Loot during Palace meeting

CEBU, Philippines - It was not cordial as it was perceived to be when President Rodrigo Duterte met Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot in Malacañang during a meeting with other mayors last week.

In a live TV speech aired over CNN Philippines, Duterte said he was not able to hold himself and cursed the mayor whom he consistently gave a dressing-down on several occasions for being an alleged drug protector.

Loot, a police general before he was elected mayor of Daanbantayan, has been denying the allegations from the president. He said he was just a victim of political intrigues.

"Nakita ko si Loot. Hindi ako nakapagpigil. Minura ko siya," recalled Duterte.

"Nagalit ako nandiyan siya. And he wanted to (talk to me). Nag-usap sila ni (PNP Chief) Bato. Unforgivable yung ganon eh. Hindi ko maisip. I cannot reconcile how you can be so corrupt na pati ang kalaban mo mismo ang tao," said Duterte during a speech at the oath taking of the newly promoted officers and appointed police officers at the Rizal Hall of Malacañan Palace yesterday.

"Sabi ko: You are guilty of treason. You are once a police officer. Inasahan ka ng gobyerno, ginastusan ka ng gobyerno tapos anong ginawa mo sa bayan?"

 Duterte warned the newly promoted police generals not to engage themselves in illegal activities.

"Huwag kayong pumasok diyan, papatayin ko kayo. Don't give protection because I will run after you," said the President in a speech while holding a wad of papers he described as the "drug industry" in the country.

 PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa said that Loot wanted to talk to him and the President in order to clear his name.

 "Gusto niyang makipag usap sa Presidente para ma clear yung name niya. Pero sabi ni President 'No, hindi ako makikipag usap sa kanya'," said Dela Rosa when pressed by reporters about what transpired during the meeting. (FREEMAN)