President Rodrigo Duterte said he will take full responsibility should the two senators he endorsed during the midterm polls — Bong Go and Bato dela Rosa — do not behave as expected.
Go is Duterte’s former top aide while Dela Rosa used to be the chief of the Philippine National Police and later on of the Bureau of Corrections.
“Six years ‘yan so makita ninyo and sabihin ko sa inyo (They will be there for six years so you’ll see and I’ll tell you), I take full responsibility if they go wayward,” Duterte said during the oath-taking of new appointees at Malacañang recently.
Duterte looked for Go in his speech, and mentioned that he has a talent for computing and that he graduated from one of the country’s top business schools, De La Salle University.
“I admire Bong because he computes well.”
“Diyan ako bilib kasi mag-kwenta ‘yan dito lang. ‘Bong, magkano natin gastusin ‘yan, ilang porsiyento (That’s what I admire him for because he computes well. I ask, Bong, how much have we spent, how many percent)?’” Duterte said.
“Dela Rosa as fundamentally honest.”
The President, on the other hand, described Dela Rosa as “fundamentally” honest having known him since he was chief of the Davao City police and he was city mayor.
“I’m using the word fundamentally kasi itong sa mga pulis, alam mo na ‘pag may na-solve sila na crime magpadala ‘yung mga offended parties ng lechon. Eh tatanggapin talaga nila ‘yan (these police, when they solve a crime, offended parties would send them lechon. They would accept it),” Duterte said.
“Yung mga ganoon, alam ko. Pero kung sabihin mo itong si Bato maghingi? Lahat ng chief of police na dumaan sa Davao, matino talaga ‘yan or at least titino (Those types, I know of. But to say that Bato asks for anything? All police chiefs are really decent),” he added.
First-time senators Go and Dela Rosa will serve as lawmakers until 2025.