PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, February 14, warned former senator Francisco Tatad to keep his distance because he would not hesitate to slap him in the face for spreading false rumors about his health.
In a speech in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, the 73-year-old President vehemently denied Tatad's claim that he underwent a kidney transplant surgery last month.
Piqued by this allegation, Duterte said the former senator clearly violated press freedom and demonstrated disrespect toward a person.
"Kay ako daw, may kidney trans[plant]. Itong si Tatad [nag-sabi]. Ikaw Tatad, you know, there's a border between press freedom and pag-babastos ng tao (Tatad claimed I underwent kidney transplant. Tatad, you know, there's a line between press freedom and disrespecting a person)," Duterte said during the proclamation rally of his political party Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
"'Pag una kitang makita, iwasan mo ako. P***** i**, sampalin kita. Maniwala ka, sampalin kita sa maraming tao (When you see me, avoid me. Son of a b****, I'll slap you. Believe me, I'll slap you in front of many people)," Duterte added.
In a February 11 opinion piece published by The Manila Times, Tatad claimed that Duterte underwent a "successful kidney transplant surgery" on January 29.
This was not the first time that Tatad wrote about Duterte's health condition. In June last year, Tatad said Duterte suffered from a mild stroke, but MalacaƱang vehemently denied the allegation.
Tatad's allegation was supported by two sources. He, however, noted that one source said Duterte underwent surgery at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City in Metro Manila, while the second source claimed it happened in Davao.
Tatad made the claim following a false rumor in early February that Duterte had already passed away.
Duterte did not let pass Tatad's false accusation, saying that he would not allow the former senator to disrespect him.
"P***** i**, kapag nakita kita, bantay ka. Iyan ang violation talaga ng press freedom. Pero hindi dahil galit ako. Iyang kantiyaw mo, parang bastos na. Gusto mo talagang subukan kung meron pa kami o wala? May asawa ka? Pahiram mo sa akin. P***** i** ka," he said.
(Son of a b****, if I see you, be careful. You really made a violation of press freedom. It's not because I'm infuriated. Your claim lacks respect. You want to know if I have a new kidney? Do you have a wife? You lend her to me. You son of a b****.) (SunStar Philippines)