By Genalyn Kabiling
If he had his way, President Duterte prefers that his children, who are gunning for local elective positions in Davao City, to leave politics soon.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte gestures to the supporters while delivering his speech during the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) campaign rally at the Caraga State University in Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte on April 21, 2019.
(JOEY DALUMPINES/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
"The earlier that they go out of politics the better," the President said in an interview with reporters when asked about his message to his children on Election Day.
The President’s daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte is seeking a second term as mayor while eldest son Paolo is eyeing a congressional seat in the city’s first district. Duterte’s youngest son Sebastian has joined politics for the first time to run for vice mayor in the city.
Duterte also said he has warned his daughter Mayor Sara against running for president in the next elections, saying it will only "destroy" her. He gave the "warning" after expressing concerns about the false and unfair criticisms hurled against public servants.
"And Inday, I am publicly warning her. The presidency will not educate you, it will just destroy you especially with the kind of media ngayon,” the former Davao City mayor said.
In discouraging his daughter from following his footsteps, Duterte bewailed that some journalists are "paid hacks" and "hyenas" that are dishing out lies against some people.
The Palace earlier bared a matrix involving some media groups in the alleged plot to discredit the President and boost the chances of the opposition candidates. The alleged plot also allegedly included the Liberal Party and Magdalo group.
Duterte lamented that some media practitioners claim to be victims of alleged harassment when in truth, they should be blamed for their legal predicament.
"They proclaim to the world with protestations that they are the victims of… Eh nandiyan sila of their own making," he said.
"We do not control them. We have not organized any… Sa kanila ‘yan. And yet when the ruling is there ayaw nilang tanggapin ," he added.
Duterte also slammed the "idiots of the Western world" that give away awards to people who are in jail facing criminal charges.
"This is a crazy world and let it remain there. I’d rather that na ganito so that allow the Western to muddle up everything. Because in the end, it is the Western world that’s going to suffer," he said.