DAVAO City Mayor Sebastian Duterte slammed Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr. for allegedly meddling in the political affairs of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm).
"Nagtuo pud ni si Lagdameo, nagtuo ka'g masakop na ninyo sila karon nga wa man gani na sila nasakop sa mga Espanyol. Kamo mga Espanyol kadugayng panahon. Tanga pud ka. Karon na nuon sakupon nimo? (Lagdameo thinks that they can conquer them when even the Spaniards haven’t successfully done so, and now you want to control them?)" Duterte said in his podcast released on Sunday evening, October 13.
Duterte said that the current administration is controlling local officials so they can have a bid on the policies they want to be immediately implemented.
"Mao man gusto nila, maila tanan. Gusto nila paludhon tanan. Paminaw nila monarkiya sila (That’s what they want, to conquer all. They want to control all. They think they are monarchy)," he said.
He added, "Ang tanan tan-aw nila nga ubos sa ila [kay] slaves (What they see is that all those who are under them are slaves)."
Duterte said that Barmm, an autonomous region in the Philippines that replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm), cannot be easily controlled by any other political forces, including those from the capital.
"Matay na lang ka, di gyud na nimo mahilabtan na diha. Sobra sakit ug pait nang ilang giagian para mapalambo na nila nga lugar unya musulod pa ka diha para muapil sa samok? Pag-sure oi! (You’ll just die but you cannot control them. They endured so much pain and struggle to improve their place and then you want to enter just to mess with it all?)," the mayor said.
The son of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who has been a vocal critic of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., likened Barmm's situation to what is happening in Davao Region, where the political affairs are being "sabotaged" by those from the administration.
"Manghilabot man mo nga naa man mo inyohang lugar (Why do you keep on dipping your hands in our affairs when you have your own place)," he added.
Lagdameo, who previously served as Representative of Davao del Norte's 2nd District from 2007 to 2016, was accused by Sultan Kudarat Governor Datu Ali Pax Mangudadatu of allegedly interfering in their local elections.
According to Mangudadatu, Lagdameo's actions have caused confusion and disorder in the region's political landscape.
A video released by Mangudadatu's camp on Monday, October 7, also claims that threats have been made to remove anyone who opposes Lagdameo from their position.
Lagdameo has not issued any statement regarding the issue as of writing.
Barmm Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, in a statement issued on Tuesday, October 8, however vehemently denounced the allegations, calling them "libelous, fabricated, and malicious."
"These libelous claims are entirely fabricated and are filled with ill intent," Ebrahim said, adding that they are seeking legal remedies against those who spread false statements regarding the corruption in the Bangsamoro government.
Ebrahim’s statement firmly rejected the accusations, asserting that they were aimed at tarnishing Lagdameo’s reputation and undermining the Bangsamoro Government. RGL