President Duterte castigated human rights lawyer Chel Diokno for criticizing the government’s response to COVID-19 pandemic and allegedly encouraging the public to defy the quarantine restrictions.
Duterte slammed Diokno after he decided to take on the case of a social media user who was summoned by the National Bureau of Investigation over their sentiments on the government’s response to the pandemic.
The human rights lawyer also called for mass testing for COVID-19 and cautioned the public on the use of the P275-billion government budget to fight the crisis.
In a late-night public address Friday, Duterte said Diokno was launching black propaganda against the government and slammed him for defending a man being investigated for alleged “fake news.”
“Leche ka, galit ako sa’yo, ulol ka,” Duterte said, describing Diokno as one of the “lousy lawyers” encouraging the people to violate the lockdown. “Huwag ka kasi mag-intriga ka sa tao ngayong panahon na ito. Ulol,” he added.
The President went after Diokno’s appearance and mocked his defeat in the 2019 senatorial race.
“Puwede kitang biruin? Huwag kang magalit. Alam mo kung bakit hindi ka nanalo? Kasi kalaki ng ngipin mo. Magsalita kalahati ng panga mo lumalabas,” Duterte said. “Yung ngipin mo ang lalaki kaya na-discourage ang mga tao,” he added.
Meanwhile, Duterte fired Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission Commissioner Manuelito Luna who had earlier asked the NBI to probe Vice President Leni Robredo for asking the private sector to help frontliners amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Duterte said he fired Luna after hearing the reports, saying Robredo did nothing wrong when she asked for donations to help health workers.
“May tao ako na abogado sa PACC, Commissioner Manuelito Luna, gusto niya na ipa-imbestiga si Leni kung bakit nag-solicit. Anak ng…,” he said. “Kaya nung narinig ko sinabi ko, ‘Fire him.’ As of this moment, he is no longer connected with government,” he added.
The President warned the NBI that they will likewise be dismissed if they will launch an investigation on Robredo. “‘Tsaka yung NBI mag-imbestiga niyan, pati kayo isali ko sa dismissal. ‘Wag… Ignorante kayo,” he said. (Argyll Geducos)
