Gordon calls Duterte a bully

SENATOR Richard J. Gordon on Tuesday said he was not afraid of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, whom he called a bully for lambasting him and the Senate probe of alleged government misuse of anti-pandemic funds.

“Quite frankly Mr. President, you are boring,” the lawmaker, who heads the Senate blue ribbon committee, said at a hearing. “I am not afraid of you. Do your worst as you did with ABS-CBN, as you did to an elected senator.”

“You are a bully. The Filipino people can fight back against bullies. The Filipinos can have a revolution against bullies,” he added.

Mr. Gordon said Mr. Duterte had taken the Senate investigation as a personal attack.

“We have deprived the Filipino people proper access to hospitalization, so many people are getting sick,” he said in mixed English and Filipino. “People are having a hard time finding hospitals, that’s what deserves our attention.”

“Why are you fighting me? I am only doing my duty,” he added.

During the hearing, Mr. Gordon scolded former Budget Procurement Service chief Lloyd C. Lao for his alleged arrogance, which he traced to presidential backing.

“Shame on you,” Mr. Gordon said. “This guy thinks he’s the king of the highway.”

Mr. Lao defended Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp., which received P8 billion worth of contracts for medical supplies. He said the company had the capacity to deliver and had no negative record.