Give up Red Cross if you want to remain a senator, Duterte tells Gordon

President Duterte has made the case that Senator Richard Gordon isn't fit to be chairman of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), especially if he wants to remain in the Senate.

Duterte did this during his public address late Wednesday, Sept. 22. as his word war with Gordon, who is leading the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the government's purchase of alleged overpriced coronavirus (COVID-19) supplies, continues.

In his pre-recorded briefing, the President addressed Gordon directly and asked if he thinks he fits the principles of the Red Cross, particularly that of neutrality.

"'Neutrality: In order to continue to enjoy the confidence of all, the Movement may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature,'" Duterte said, reading from the guiding principles of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent.

"Masabi mo ba ito sa sarili mo (Can you say this about yourself)? Gordon, can you really face the mirror? Do you fit into these stringent objectives of the Red Cross?" he asked.

According to the President, Gordon should choose which position would he like to keep--that of being a senator or chairman of PRC.

"To me, under the law, you must give either Red Cross, kung gusto mong maging senador pa (if you want to remain as a senator)," he said.

"Pero para sa akin (But for me), you find the two positions very lucrative," he added.

Duterte said Gordon should have been charged for holding two positions of interest.

"Do not say that Red Cross and ikaw ay separate identity (and you are two separate identities). That's bullshit," he said.

"You are a dual personality which is, you know, banned or prohibited by law. Dapat noon pa, dinemanda ka na (You should have been charged a long time ago)," he added.

The Chief Executive said that he will make sure that Gordon will give up either his Senate seat or the Red Cross.

"Bawal talaga 'yan. Bitawan mo na 'yan kasi (That is really not allowed. You should give up one because) we will --- I will insist that you give up one because you cannot be both," Duterte said.