President Rodrigo R. Duterte greets war veterans during the celebration of the National Heroes’ Day at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City on August 29.(MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Allaying fears that he is a dictator in the making, President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday vowed that he will not be the next Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
“Wala ako balak maging diktador. Abugado ako. Ang nanay ko Yellow Friday [Movement] sa Davao. Sabihin nila maging Marcos [ako], far from it,” he told the 129 retrenched OFWs who arrived home from Saudi Arabia.
“I am just doing my duty or else I will compromise [the] next generation,” he said, defending his administration’s tough stance against the illegal drug problem.
Duterte’s mother, Soledad, was an activist who fought against the Marcos dictatorship in the then-undivided Davao.
Fears that Duterte is following the late strongman’s footsteps arose when he threatened to declare martial law following a clash with Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno regarding the supposed involvement of several judges in the illegal drug trade.
Malacañang spokespersons, however, said Duterte’s comment was just an exaggeration to emphasize the gravity of the drug menace, which they likened to a national security threat.
Duterte apologized to Sereno for the “harsh words.” (MNS)