By Lilian C. Mellejor
DAVAO CITY, Sept. 20 (PNA) – The spokesperson of Rody Duterte for Federalism shut back at Manila-based freelance writer Philip Lustre over his accusation that he is being cyber bullied and holds Mayor Rodrigo Duterte responsible if harm comes to him.
While former councilor Peter Laviña appears hesitant to bite Lustre’s tirades, he said, “For someone who has spread lies and throw mud at other people, he deserves his fate to be answered back, not just by Mayor Duterte but the mayor’s many supporters and followers who want precisely to put an end to this trapo style of character assassinations in Philippine politics.
Laviña said there are much more serious issues and concerns that they need to address, but “we have to again divert our attention to this man who has something wrong in his head”.
“The man continues with his tirades believing that the attention would increase his stock to his principals and exact far more than just 30 pieces of silver,” Laviña said in a press statement.
Laviña emphasized that Lustre has only his self to blame because of his vicious lies about Duterte suffering from throat cancer.
“He claims that he is being cyberbullied and yet it was he who has been boasting that as early as last year he has been hitting Mayor Rody Duterte. Have you seen the news reports who has bullied his own paramour and got involved in an arson case that killed not just his mistress but other members of her family?” he asked.
According to Laviña, Lustre would have been just a “small fry” probably without proper sleep every night bothered with nightmares of the fires of hell for the arson and murder that he has been reported as a suspect.
“But small fries or big sharks like his principals, the lies must be corrected. We should not allow their lies to prevail. We should not allow their kind to win,” he said.
Laviña was disappointed that some quarters are egging Lustre to continue spurting venom in his baseless attacks on Duterte.
“This clearly illustrates the moral bankruptcy of our political system, when it becomes a norm for people to paint others black to portray themselves as white or even yellow. There are important and urgent issues that our country need to address, but they prefer the muddy ones to hide the true state of the nation,” he stressed.
Lustre had twitted that “any potential harm that may come to him is attributable to only one man–Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.”
“This is a cry of a man afraid of his own shadows. He has his debts to society even before the mayor heard of his name. He has dug his own pit a long time ago. Why should the mayor be answerable for it?” he quipped.
Laviña said Duterte is a very responsible person, a conscientious leader and is accountable for his own acts. “But the folly of others, the mayor is neither responsible nor accountable,” he pointed out.
Laviñ said Lustre should actually fear more his principals who are likely to do him harm to paint themselves white, and Mayor Duterte black. “That is the dirty game they play. They are likely to be the culprit if something happens to him certainly not Mayor Duterte,” he further said.
Laviña reiterated that the mayor’s game is change. “Change for the best interests of the Filipino people. Their game is spreading lies. Lies to serve their selfish interests at the expense of the Filipino people,” he said.
Last week, Duterte threw punches at Lustre criticizing him for feeding wrong information that he is suffering from a throat cancer, which prevented him to seek a presidential bid in the 2016 elections.
“You’re suffering from a mental impotence you have to see a doctor – sa tinuod lang (in truth). It’s not because you’re a journalist – sa imong (in your) caliber – your English is acceptable…tolerable…grammar. There’s something in your mind…mentally impotent – it is not really working,” Duterte lambasted journalist Philip Lustre, Jr.
In his Facebook account, Lustre posted: “Just yesterday, somebody leaked the information to me that Davao City Rodrigo Duterte has cancer of the throat. Somebody in the audience asked Duterte why he was frequently holding the left side of his jaw and neck. Duterte made reference to his health situation cascading from Stage One to Stage Four without categorically saying that he has the Big C.”
Lustre’s post drew criticisms not only from the mayor but also from netizens most especially from Duterte supporters. (PNA)