Rody to FVR: You can continue criticizing me
President Duterte yesterday expressed admiration for former president Fidel Ramos, citing his sincerity and concern for the Filipino people.
“You can continue criticizing me, sir,” Duterte said during the book launch of the former president’s compilation of newspaper columns, “Make Change Happen,” at the Department of National Defense Social Hall at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
Duterte congratulated Ramos for the book, which he said should enlighten the people on how to achieve genuine transformation by working together.
Duterte and Ramos shared some light moments, with the Chief Executive calling his predecessor his “idol, supporter and critic.”
“You are my idol. You are my number one supporter, but at the same time you are the number one critic now,” he said, with Ramos himself and the audience laughing.
“I respect your criticism. I accept your advice. And maybe I will mimic your role as president before. I will follow you just like what the t-shirt says,” Duterte said, referring to a t-shirt given to him by Ramos with the words “Follow me.”
Duterte said the only difference between him and Ramos is that he is not a military man but he nevertheless assured people that they are the same when it comes to love of country.
“I would say that I love
my country as much as you do and we are ready to die for this country,” he said.
Ramos, in his remarks, called on the public to support the President as he gave him the t-shirt beari ng the motto of Fort Benning, the Army Infantry School of the United States.
“Follow me. Para walang naiiwan pagka-combat. Pero ito, naging uso sa mga tenyente,
pinapakita namin sa bar, andaming magagandang dalaga, sumusunod (So nobody will be left behind during combat. But this became a fad among colonels. We showed this in bars, and beautiful women followed us),” Ramos said when he presented the t-shirt to Duterte.
Ramos lightened up the crowd by joking that the President “can do 30” while he “can do 31.”
“I’m sure with five years to go, he can do 40, 50, 60 up to 99, almost perfect,” he said as he asked the crowd to clap with his “Palakpak!” command.
On a more serious note, Ramos said the President needs support “for him to fulfill his vision for the Filipinos, which is a better future for all of us.”
“The vision of a better future from which all nations and peoples benefit equitably regardless of history, ideology, religion, culture, socio-economic condition and geography is our unceasing ultimate aspiration as Filipinos,” he said.