Roxas ignores Duterte’s latest tirade

Interior Secretary and Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II
(Photo from Roxas’ official Facebook page)

MANILA—Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas has brushed aside Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s latest tirade against him, saying the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) presidential candidate is just using him to gain political mileage.

Duterte has described Roxas as the “most incompetent” among those vying for the presidency in the May 9 national elections. He made the statement during a gathering with Filipino-Chinese businessmen.

Roxas said that the Davao City mayor has no definite plan for the country that is why he slid to No. 4 in latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey on presidential bets.

“He is lagging behind in the survey that’s why he is again picking on me. I am always his target to promote himself,” Roxas said of Duterte.

Roxas, however, lashed back at Duterte. “He (Duterte) does not even know what to do with the country. What is his plans? He always picks on me. I have plans–jobs and hope. That is what I am offering our people.”

Roxas said that Duterte has the character of picking on “lowly people” but stressed he is not about to back down from the challenge.