Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights chairperson Sen. Richard Gordon (center), Sen. Vicente Sotto III, and Sen. Panfilo Lacson ask questions during the Senate investigation on extra-judicial killings on Monday.
MANILA, Oct 5 (Mabuhay) – It was “unnecessary” for President Rodrigo Duterte to have told United States President Barack Obama to “go to hell,” Senator Panfilo Lacson said Wednesday.
“These are unnecessary comments, yung go to hell. For what? Pero ang impact sa kabilang party, masyadong matindi,” Lacson said.
On Tuesday, Duterte hit out anew at the US and the European Union in yet another tirade against critics of his administration’s anti-crime war.
“Instead of helping us, ang unang tumira, itong [US] State Department. So, you can go to hell. Mr. Obama, you can go to hell,” Duterte said.
“EU, better choose purgatory. Puno na ang impiyerno. Bakit ako matakot sa inyo?” the President added.
Still, Lacson said it is Duterte’s call if he will not heed advice from his allies to refrain from making controversial statements in public engagements.
“That’s his call. And kung ayaw nya mag-shut ng mouth, it’s up to him. And it seems hindi talaga siya tinatablan ng advice. So what he deems fit yan na lang gawin niya,” he said.
Senator Richard Gordon earlier said Duterte was “falling on his own sword” for being “too noisy” on publicly expressing his desire to have suspected drug users and pushers killed.
“Maingay ang Pangulo, sobrang ingay ng Pangulo. Tama lang na ipakita niya na galit siya sa droga pero huwag na siyang mag-ingay na ‘I will kill you,’ hindi tama ‘yan,” Gordon said.
Duterte refused to heed Gordon’s advice.
Senator Ralph Recto, for his part, said Duterte’s recent tirade against Obama will again reflect on the country.
“Unfortunately, we may all pay the price for our President’s offensive statements,” Recto said in a text message. (MNS)