For Senator Francis Tolentino, President Duterte is not insulting his colleagues Senators Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao and Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III amid the rift within their political party.
"I would consider that as mere presidential banters, playful, teasing, expressions coming from the President. He has been doing this for the last several years," Tolentino said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel Tuesday, July 20.
During the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan's (PDP-Laban) national assembly last July 17, Duterte hit Pimentel's competence as a leader as he blamed the latter for the ruckus in their political party.
He said the senator -- the son of PDP-Laban's co-founder late Sen. Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr. -- made a mistake when he named Pacquiao as party president to replace him last December.
"Hindi naman bobo 'yong mga miyembro, mas bright sa iyo. 'Yan lang ang top-notcher na nakita ko na -- " Duterte tutted, while attendees were laughing at his remark.
"Pacquiao does not know anything," Duterte also said. "Totoo, kung ano mang sabihin -'di naman nagbabasa 'yan eh -- basta kung ano lang sabihin ng mga ano niya, sunod (It's true, whatever is said to him -- he does not read -- he just follows)," he said of the boxing champion turned politician.
Duterte has been criticizing Pacquiao after the latter spoke out about his administration's "lacking" stand on the territorial dispute with China, and the prevailing corruption in the bureacracy.
He vowed to campaign against Pacquiao if he fails to prove his corruption claims.
Despite these statements, Tolentino believed the Duterte is still willing to mend ties with Pimentel and Pacquiao.
Pacquiao, who is currently in the United States for his upcoming fight with Errol Spence, previously said that he requested for a dialogue with the President to no avail.
"I think the President is open to any discussions especially if it affects not just the 2022 elections, but the future of the country as well," Tolentino said.
"It's a work in progress, it is evolving, so perhaps after August 21, after the fight of Sen. Pacquiao, there can be a room for healing," he said.
Tolentino has called for a ceasefire between the two PDP-Laban factions.