Ping explains Duterte ‘soft spot’ for those under fire

For all his bravado and sharp tongue, President Rodrigo Duterte has a soft spot for those who he sees as being oppressed.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said this Saturday, adding this could be the case in Duterte showing “sympathy” for Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

But Lacson also said that while he finds this quality endearing, it is becoming a pain in the case of Duque.

“With all his bravado, tapang, talim ng dila, pero pagdating sa kasama, mababa loob niya lalo sa mga api. Parang under the gun ka, nariyan siya. Yan ang isang quality niya na gusto ko. Kaya lang minsan pagdating kay Duque, parang di ko na rin gusto,” Lacson said in an interview on DWIZ radio.

Lacson recalled Duterte reached out to him in the 1990s when Lacson and his men were under fire over the Kuratong Baleleng case.

At the time, he said Duterte, then mayor of Davao City, invited him to go to Davao to relax.

“Nang bugbog na bugbog kami sa kasong Kuratong Baleleng, naroon siya, nakikiramay. Pinuntahan niya ako sa Kiangan Hall sa Crame. Sabi niya mag-relax ka muna, bisita ka sa Davao. Manood ka ng Miss Davao. Ganyan yan eh,” he said.

Even Sen. Manny Pacquiao felt this “generosity” from Duterte, who Lacson said would visit Pacquiao only when he lost his bouts and needed a friend.

“Kung kailan natalo, saka niya pinuntahan. Pagka nanalo at lahat nakiki-celebrate, wala siya. Pero pag natalo at walang pumupunta dahil talo siya ang nakakaisip pumunta. Ganyan si Pangulong Duterte,” Lacson said.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)