HOURS before the Commission on Elections dismissed all disqualification cases against him, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte lashed back at critics who didn’t believe he can end criminality in six months, saying they are bayot, the Cebuano term for gay.
“My enemies say, it’s impossible because they are gay,” Duterte said at a presidential forum at the University of the Philippines in Diliman Wednesday.
Duterte’s critics in the administration—including administration standard bearer Manuel Roxas II and senatorial candidate and former Justice secretary Leila de Lima—have warned about the mayor’s brand of frontier justice.
“Killing is killing, no matter what… If he admitted he’s responsible for these killings, then he should be held criminally liable,” De Lima said of Duterte’s boasts about killing criminal suspects.
Former human rights commissioner Loretta Rosales warned that voting for Duterte would bring back the Martial Law days.
Roxas questioned Duterte’s claim that Davao was a peaceful city, calling this a myth. This triggered a word war between the two candidates.
Duterte, whose campaign platform is focused on reducing criminality and narco-politics, had earlier said that he’s willing to kill to make things happen.
“When I said I’ll stop criminality, I’ll stop criminality,” Duterte told The Standard in an interview Sunday. “If I have to kill you, I’ll kill you. Personally.”
The mayor said the country lacks leaders with the political will to do what needs to be done.
“They can’t do it. They’re scared to go to prison. They are scared to make mistakes, to kill, to die. Why? Because they are rich, too scared to die because they are hooked on money,” he said.
Duterte also claimed that at least three high-ranking officials of the Philippine National Police do have ties to big-time drug syndicates, but he refused to name them.
“Many police generals in Metro Manila are involved in drug activities,” he said.
He warned the three police officials involved in drug cases to immediately leave the active service should he win the May 2016 polls.
“If I win, they better leave,” he said.
Duterte made the remarks hours before Comelec First Division chairman Christian Robert Lim announced in a press briefing the dismissal of all disqualification cases against Duterte.
Lim said the division dismissed the petitions of broadcaster Ruben Castor, University of the Philippines Student Council chair John Paulo Delas Nieves, nuisance candidates Rizalito David and lawyer Elly Pamatong.
“We would like to announce that the First Division has ruled that the punisher will live to die another day… The First Division has ruled to deny all petitions filed against Mayor Duterte,” Lim said adding that it was a “thick” 50-page decision.
In the 50-page resolution, the Comelec found that former PDP-Laban standard bearer Martin Diño’s Certificate of Candidacy is valid and he is not been declared a nuisance candidate.
The poll body also found that Diño’s withdrawal as a presidential candidate is valid while Duterte himself did not commit any material misrepresentation in his CoC for president.
The Comelec explained that they dismissed the petition of Castor and Nieves for “lack of merit” and for failure to appear during the preliminary conference of their respective cases.
The resolution also said that both Castor and Nieves failed to file their petition within the allowable 25 days window to contest the candidacy of Diño.
“In so far as respondent Diño’s CoC is concerned, any question as to any material misrepresentation made therein should have been brought within 25 days from Oct. 16 to Nov. 10, in accordance with Section 78 of the OEC,” the resolution read.
“The Castor and Nieves petitions, having been filed on Nov. 27 and Dec. 22, respectively, were therefore not timely filed in so far as respondent Diño’s CoC is concerned,” it said.
On Duterte’s case that he committed material misrepresentation, the resolution said Castor’s allegation is “defective and cannot be taken cognizance of by the Commission First Division.”
Lim said the decision was made unanimously but Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon is set to file her separate opinion on the case.
Comelec chairman Andres Bautista said that even the four petitioners filed a motion for reconsideration before the Commission en banc, Duterte’s name is still included in the final list of candidates for the May 9 national and local elections.
“We can say there are six candidates for presidents and six for vice presidents,” he said.
“They can petition the en banc, but it will take five days. Of course, the en banc would have to look into it but when we start printing, Duterte’s name will be included,” Bautista said.
Bautista clarified, however, that if the petitioners are able to secure a restraining order from the Supreme Court, they will abide by the order.
Meanwhile, Duterte’s spokesman Karlo Nograles lauded the decision of the First Division, saying it is a signal to all “who have stayed the course” that Duterte’s candidacy is on the right path.
“We are overjoyed with the decision of Comelec to dismiss all disqualification cases filed against Rodrigo Duterte. Even more so because it was a unanimous decision,” Nograles said, noting that that are no more legal impediments to the candidacy of Duterte.
“The timing is perfect. With this chapter coming to a close, and the official national campaign about to begin, we shall now consolidate the forces between those who have been with us and those who are going to join us. We expect nothing less than an increase in groundswell for Duterte’s brand of leadership. Change is coming,” Nograles said.
