With less than a month before the May 2022 elections, President Duterte has stepped up his campaign for his Senate bets by interviewing them one-on-one and asking them how they can contribute to the country's development if they win a Senate seat.
In the first episode of "The President's Chatroom," aired Saturday evening, April 9, Duterte interviewed former Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) chair Greco Belgica and House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta. Both aspiring senators are part of PDP-Laban's Senate slate.
Belgica: anti-corruption advocate
During his interview with Belgica, the President revealed that he was one of the people who urged the former to run for Senate.
"Kasi ang nakita ko isa kang crusader noon pa na wala ka pang ambisyon (It's because I saw you as a crusader and you have no ambition)," Duterte said.
"You have always insisted na ano ‘yung tama and pag-usapan natin tama iyon ang palagi mong itinutulak sa ating mga meetings (on what is right and that is what you've always pushed for during our meetings)," he added.
The Chief Executive said he was impressed by how Belgica knows so much about the government despite being the youngest in the Cabinet. Belgica is 44 years old.
"I supposed that you studied very well how a government is being run at ginawa kita (and I made you the) chairman PACC, that's a crime commission work. And you have filed so many cases against people in government who were into graft and corruption," he said.
When asked about the laws he would pursue to strengthen his advocacy of "protecting the next generation," Belgica told Duterte that he would work on the country's justice system.
"People have been talking about a weak justice system, but no one is really investing in the justice system. We only have 2,500 judges all over the Philippines adjudicating for over 100 million Filipinos. So kulang na kulang po (We are really lacking)," Belgica said.
In fighting corruption in government, Belgica said that the campaign against corruption should be like the drug war where different agencies are working together to resolve the drug problem.
" anti-corrupt law is very passive. The best that we have is an investigative office, and it's not really a campaign --- that's not how to run a campaign," he said.
"Itatatag ko po ‘yung national anti-corruption council, ikakabit ko po sa Ombudsman para naka-organize po sila hanggang sa local government at lalagyan ko po ng anti-corruption police para po mas aktibo, nagbi-build up ang case, nange-entrap, nanghuhuli (I will establish a national anti-corruption council and will attach it to the Ombudsman so it is organized. I will put an anti-corruption police in every local government so we are more active in building up cases, entrapment, and arrest)," he added.
Marcoleta: investments, infrastructure
During the second half of the 30-minute program, President Duterte said he didn't know who Marcoleta was but suddenly developed an interest in him because he was fighting for the government and was "not afraid of oligarchs."
"Hindi ka takot sa pera nila, at ginawa mong ikaw ‘yung nagsasalita para sa lahat ng gustong sabihin nila hindi nila masabi at nasabi mo (You are not afraid of their money and you became the voice of those who want to speak up against them)," Duterte said.
"Pinaputok ko lang ‘yung mga mali nila (I just exposed their misdeeds) but nobody carried the name of the Republic of the Philippines para doon sa Kongreso, ikaw ‘yun (in Congress. You did that)," he added.
When asked what "meaningful legislation" he would push for in the Senate, Marcoleta said he would ensure the continuation of Duterte's infrastructure program.
"Alam naman po natin maa-attract ang investments hindi lamang dito sa bansa natin, lalong-lalo na po sa ibang mga bansa na pupunta sa ating bayan para dito magbukas ng maraming negosyo at ‘yun ang magiging simula kung papaano natin mapapalago ang ating ekonomiya (We know that it will attract local and foreign investments, and entice foreign businesses to open in the Philippines. That will start the growth of the economy)," he said.
Marcoleta added that he wanted the Department of Education (DepEd) to stop publishing books, citing Republic Act 8047, which says the private sector publishers should make books for the Philippines to develop a national book development industry.
"Ang palalakasin natin ‘yung oversight function po talaga, ‘yung totohanan at seryosong pagtingin at pag-aayos kung papaano nai-implement (We would strengthen the oversight function so we can implement the law better)," he said.