Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s latest controversial statements come in the form of playground insults he directed at Senator Richard “Dick” Gordon who he called “a fart away from disaster,” in a speech yesterday.
The president used up about 10 minutes of his address to attendees of the Bureau of Fire Protection’s anniversary event to blast a tirade against Gordon who criticized him for stacking his cabinet with former military officials, which the senator said could militarize the administration.
Duterte did not take the criticism well and joked that if Gordon was his only option, he would just resign from the presidency.
He then proceeded to insult the senator and called him names like “smart ass.” The president also said in Filipino that Gordon “walks like a penguin.”
Duterte sees nothing wrong with getting ex-military officials to head government departments because it is not prohibited by the law. He also said that these former officers tend to be more honest than most people.
“Dick Gordon. Do not be too presumptuous about your talent. Why do you criticize me? It’s my prerogative. It is not prohibited by law,” Duterte said.
However, Duterte seemed to be annoyed the most about Gordon saying that he probably hires military men because he hails from the province and does not know a lot of people from Manila. The president repeatedly mocked the way Gordon speaks by mumbling words quickly and talking in an American accent.
“[He is] a busybody,” Duterte said, before impersonating Gordon. “He depends on talk. Well, you’re a fool because you’re not really a Filipino. You’re just tisoy. Us here, we’re country boys.”
Tisoy is a slang word for “mestizo,” a word used to describe Filipinos who are part white. Gordon’s father was half Jewish American.
“You know, I think when he said I’m from the province, well that’s true. But at least I’m a country boy, my brain stays in my head,” Duterte said earlier in his speech. “Your brain, Dick, it melts and goes to your stomach. You are a fart away from disaster. Worry about your stomach first before you meddle in my work.”
Duterte also made fun of Gordon’s physique and said that he wouldn’t fit in an ambulance and would need to be carried in a fire truck.
At one point in his speech, Duterte also said that senator is the highest position Gordon would ever be able to reach. He then went on to say a very long-winded joke about how Gordon will never be vice president.
“You won’t ever become vice president. I will make sure of that. You really won’t become vice president. Now if you want that title badly, what you should do is you create a private corporation, make your family the incorporators of that corporation, then appoint a president, a member of your family as president of the corporation, then find a way that you will be seated as the vice president of that corporation.”
Finally, Duterte also made fun of Gordon’s name. “Dick, bayag (testicles),” he said.
In a statement today, Gordon said that he does not take offense in what Duterte said and that he considers the president a friend.
“As I have said, everyone is entitled to an opinion, and we cannot be onion-skinned about such things,” Gordon said.
Still, he maintained his stance about Duterte hiring former military men for his cabinet.
“I also have great respect for the military and the armed forces because they are the protector of the people and the State. However, at the same time, we want to assure the public that we are not militarizing the government,” the senator said.
Of course, he also could not keep himself from reacting to Duterte’s comments about his weight.
“I am happy that the President is concerned about my waistline, but he need not worry about that. My wife has seen to it that I have reduced it significantly of late. But I appreciate that he is concerned about my health as I am about his,” Gordon said.
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