FOLLOWING the administration's victory in the 2019 midterm polls, President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, May 30, once again took a swipe at defeated candidates of the opposition's "Otso Diresto" slate.
Speaking before the Filipino community in Japan, Duterte said the senatorial candidates from the opposition would have made no contributions to the country's growth had they win in this year's elections.
"Kung 'yan lang din mga politiko, mga Otso Diretso, remember those guys, kung sino 'yang mga 'yang naiwan diyan, walang ibang ginawa kundi mag-daldal, walang contribution," the President said in a speech during his meeting with Filipinos residing and working in Japan.
(Had candidates of Otso Diretso candidates become our politicians, remember those guys, they would have done nothing but talk. They have no contribution.)
Duterte's remarks came after eight "Otso Diretso" senatorial hopefuls failed to secure a Senate seat during the May 13 midterm elections.
The losing opposition bets were outgoing Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, former Local Government secretary Manuel Roxas II, Maranao civic leader Samira Gutoc, Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano, former lawmaker Erin Tañada, veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, and human rights lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno.
Meantime, eight of 12 winning senators in the 2019 polls were endorsed by the President.
Duterte's latest tirade against the Otso Diretso candidates also came following the recent revelation of Peter Joemel Advincula, alias "Bikoy," that the series of videos linking the presidential family to illegal drugs were made to boost the Otso Diretso slate.
Duterte, along with some of his Cabinet members, is currently in Japan for a four-day working visit.
Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose Laurel V earlier assumed that the President's trip with several Cabinet officials could be a reward, following the victory of the administration candidates in the midterm elections.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, however, said Laurel "may have been either innocently speculating for lack of information or may have been misinformed by the nature of the trip of the Cabinet members." (SunStar Philippines)