By JOEY NACALABAN
and NITZ ARANCON
Correspondents .
PRESIDENT Duterte cussed loudly at least 25 times during his speech during the oathtaking of election winners in the city at Xavier Estates Country Club Wednesday night.
This reporter counted Duterte saying “p***ng ina” 15 times, “y*wa” nine times, and “b**at” once during his approximately hour-long speech.
Unlike in some areas, the crowd did not greet Duterte’s expletives with applause.
Duterte was here to swear into office local PDP-Laban candidates led by Mayor Oscar Moreno who won in the May elections.
It was Duterte’s “close friend,” former ABS-CBN-Davao and now councilor-elect Joyleen Mercedes “Girlie” Balaba, who reportedly talked the President into coming over.
Joining Moreno and Balaba in taking their oath before Duterte were Rep. Rolando Uy of the city’s 1st District, Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin Uy;
Councilors George Goking, Jay Pascual, Romeo Calizo, Edna Dahino, Reuben Daba, and councilor-elect Roger Abaday of the 1st District;
Councilors Suzette Magtajas Daba, Teodulfo Lao Jr., Enrico Salcedo, Maria Lourdes Gaanes, and councilors-elect Edgar Cabanlas and Balaba.
Councilors Ian Mark Nacaya and Zaldy Ocon were a no-show.
Duterte’s speech basically covered topics he has been discussing in public over and over again like how he advised his daughter, Davao Mayor Sara Carpio, not to run for President in 2022.
Duterte also spoke about his “war on drugs” and the problem on graft and corruption in government.
He said senator-elect Ronald dela Rosa gave him a list of people in government who are allegedly serving as illegal drug trade protectors. The protectors, he said, included police and military generals.
Duterte also spoke against the extent of the graft and corruption problem in government, and said unless it is eradicated “wala nay pagla-om ang Pilipinas.”
“Wa na nako malipay ani nga trabaho,” he said.
After the oathtaking ceremony, Duterte stayed for a while and had dinner with senator-elect Lawrence Christopher Go, Balaba, Moreno, Rep. Uy, Councilor Yan Lam Lim, and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.
Reporters, who covered the event, said there was nothing new to report about Duterte’s pronouncements.
Pamela Orias, a newspaper report and chair of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines in the city, said she finds Duterte to be “very incoherent.”
“Naanad naman ko sa iya ana,” said Orias, adding that she covered the event hoping that the President would say something about the Chinese vessel that sank a Filipino boat and the Kapa investment scheme controversy, among others.
Magnum Radio field reporter Angie Albasado said, “Nalibog nuon kog himo sa balita.”
The reporters and many of those who attended the affair have been waiting there since 3 pm; Duterte arrived at around 6 pm.
But some were happy like Mayor Moreno who called it a “special day” for local officials because no less than the President swore them into office.
“We are so grateful,” Moreno said.
Moreno however said he and other local officials would take their oath before the public in Divisoria on June 30. Their next office term starts on July 1.
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