Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has called on President Duterte to fire government officials who do not care for the Filipino people.
“Ako’y nananawagan ng buong kababaang loob, kung gusto nyo lumuhod pa ako. Mr President, tanggalin nyo ang mga taong walang malasakit sa kapwa nya. (I am humbly appealing, even if I have to go down on my knees, Mr. President, please remove from office those who do not care for Filipinos)," Domagoso told reporters during a press conference at Arroceros Forest Park on Wednesday.
Domagoso added that the President should get rid of “rude” officials who think people’s lives are worthless.
The mayor issued the statement a day after he urged the national government to buy COVID-19 treatment drugs instead of face shields.
“If this medicine can save lives, we must focus our resources on things that can save lives hindi (not) face shield. Huwag na kayo makipagkulitan sa akin. Walang bisa ang face shield. Bakit ba yan pinipilit nyo? (Please do not argue with me anymore. Face shields don’t work. Why do you insist on using it?),” Domagoso said.
He also said that his call for medicines was not in any way a form of politicking.
“Maghanda kasi kayo, huwag kayo maghanda sa eleksyon (Prepare for this, not the elections),” the mayor said.
“Wag mo akusahan ang mamamayan mo pag nagmamakaawa sa iyo, gamot tocilizumab ang bilhin nyo, huwag faceshield. Ano dun ang politika? (Don’t accuse your citizens when they are begging that medicines like tocilizumab should be bought and not face shields. Where is the politics in that?),” he added.
The mayor said the officials accusing him of politicking seem to have no “idea of reality” and what’s really happening on the ground.
On Sept. 6, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque was asked about Domagoso's call to buy more tocilizumab instead of face shields.
Roque, in response, said supply problem hampered the national government from procuring the COVID-19 treatment drug.
He also asked the public not to be swayed by politics.
“Well, kaibigan ko po itong si Yorme ‘no. Pero gaya po ni VP (vice president), eh kandidato rin po iyan. Mark my word, hindi pa po nag-aanunsiyo iyan pero sigurado po ako kandidato kaya asahan natin itong mga ganitong salita ‘no dahil kinakailangan nilang ligawan ang mamamayan (Well, Yorme is a friend of mine. But like the VP, he is also a candidate. Mark my work, he hasn’t announced it yet, but for sure he will run for office, so expect these kinds of statements from him because they need to court the voters),” Roque said.