IN A fighting mood yet still playing her cool, Davao City Vice Mayor Sara Duterte lashed out at political rival, the Nograleses, for what she says are traditional and dirty politics against her.
In Sunday's Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa episode, the young Duterte said House Speaker Prospero Nograles and son congressional candidate Karlo Nograles are running a "politics without principle."
She cited the scholarship program of the Speaker wherein, she said, she has been getting feedbacks that the scholars are required to deliver 10 sure votes for the Nograles for them to continue enjoying the
scholarship.
"Gina-corrupt ninyo ang mga bata. Bata pa lang ginamulat na ninyo sa corruption. Imbes na mag-eskwela, nangita na lang intawon sila ug boto sa dalan. Ayaw ninyo sila apil-apila sa pulitika. Ayaw ninyo sila hadluka
na kung kamo mapildi, mawala na pud sa ilaha ang ilang scholarship (You are corrupting the youth. Now, instead of just focusing on their studies, they are busy looking for votes on the streets. Do not threaten the
youth by saying the scholarship program will be lost if you do not win. Don't mix politics with the government's scholarship program)," Duterte said.
The daughter of City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said one student approached her some time ago asking for her permission to include some of the Duterte supporters in the list that the student is required to submit to the
Nograleses to be given financial support.
"Naa pud isa na gitanggal gyud sya sa pagka-scholar mao na amo na lang gisalo aron lang gyud makapadayon ug eskwela ang bata (There was one who was taken out of the scholarship program such that we just
had to help her so she can continue with her studies)," Duterte revealed.
"Ako na lang sila giingnan na ihatag na lang nang inyong boto sa ilaha kay sila man gyud ang nanginahanglan ana. Huna-hunaa ninyo na ang scholarship sa gobyerno na ug dili sa usa ka tawo lamang. Kung mapildi
man ugaling na sila, ang scholarship magpadayon na kay naa pa man gihapon ang gobyerno (Just give your votes to them because they really need it. It is the scholarship program of the government, not just one
person. If they lose the elections, the scholarship program will still continue)," the vice mayor added.
Based on the website of Nograles, they have about 6,000 scholars in Davao City.
Nograles denied the allegations, saying "it's a free country, anybody can vote for anyone."
"They are angry because for 20 years, they only have 300 scholars. With that budget? Wow, that's real performance. We are only asking for their 20-year performance report, what have they done with the city money
all these years," Nograles said.
On tirades against her being an "unexperienced" politician and just riding on the popularity of her father, Vice Mayor Duterte reminded Nograles that he never won in any of his mayoral bid in the past elections and will
never win not because of the Duterte magic but simply because of his bad character.
"Muingon sila na wala kuno ko'y experience. Pero ang ilang experience mao ni, midagan ug mayor kaduha, napildi. Kung mudagan na ug konsehal, mapildi lang gihapon na siya. They're saying I don't have experience.
But I say, their experience is that of losing, they ran twice and lost twice. Even if they run as councilor, they will lose). It's not the Duterte magic. Your very bad character ang nagpapildi sa imoha (was your downfall),"
Duterte said.
The vice mayor also belied claims of the Nograleses that the Duterte administration was only concentrating on peace and order and has neglected the infrastructure and health programs.
"Naa man mi mga dalan, gym ug mga tambal. Pero wala ray pangalan kay dili man to amoa kundi sa gobyerno (We initiated projects too, but we never put our names on them because it's not ours, it's the
government's). Their kind of politics is classic trapo," Duterte revealed.
Nograles, meanwhile, said that if they have traditional politics, then the Dutertes have either "lugaw politics", "chopper politics" or "terror politics".
Nograles replied, lifting a few lines of classic folk song 'Blowing in the Wind,' "Just let them answer the issue on 'where have all the flowers gone, long time passing'? Where is the accounting of city funds? Do not get
personal, answer the issues."
The vice mayor said that on the Nograleses’ claims that she would just become a dummy of Mayor Duterte once she becomes the mayor, Sara said she knows how to separate her being a daughter and her being a
politician with the mandate from thousands of Dabawenyos who voted for her.
"Anak ko ni Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Dili ko nya tuta (I am his daughter, not his puppy)," she said.
She recalled that in 2008, the mayor called her soon after she ordered the relief of several local government workers who were not doing their jobs.
"Ang iyaha ato he was offended kay mitubag ko sa iyaha. Nasuko siya, ingon pa niya na mao ba na mutubag sige ing-ana diay na pagresign na lang. Ako siyang gitubag na usa ra iyang boto, unsaon na lang tong
uban na miboto sa akoa na wala ko giparesign. Ako, I know kung kanus-a ko anak, ug kanus-a ko public servant (On my father's part, he was very angry because I answered him. He even said that if I continued with
my ways, then I should better resign. I told he may have voted for me, but he has only one vote. How about all those who have voted for me as well who has not told me to resign? For my part, there's a clear distinction
between being a daughter and being a public servant)," the young Duterte said.
Asked of her plan if ever she wins as the first-ever female mayor of the city, vice mayor Duterte said she will prioritize the computerization and interconnectivity of all the local government agencies in the city for the
faster delivery of basic services.
She also has programs for the population, health, senior citizens, peace and order, tourism, and infrastructure.
In her parting message, the vice mayor apologized to her mother for hitting on the Nograleses. She said she was not the first one who threw the punch and that she was merely reacting to the issues thrown at her.
"Mitubag lang man ko, wala ko nag-una-una ug banat. Pitik pa lang ni. Karong kumpanya attend mo sa among rally kay didto namo iyag-yag tanan (I am just replying to their attacks. But these are just slight
offensives. Please attend my campaign rallies and I will reveal everything)," Duterte said.
A few months ago, the vice mayor admitted having been advised by her mother not to bother picking up a fight with Nograles because he is old. (BOT)