By Azer Parrocha/PNA
MANILA — Malacañang on Wednesday described as “silly, childish, and absurd” the challenge of Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani Jr. to President Rodrigo R. Duterte to walk around without armed guards.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Bacani’s challenge was evidently made to get him publicity.
“The challenge of Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani, Jr. to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to walk around without security not only is outright silly and childish but absurd as well,” Panelo said in a statement.
Bacani, in an interview over Catholic news station Radio Veritas, dared the President to walk around without bodyguards, bullet-proof vests as bishops do to prove that he is “really brave.”
Panelo emphasized that the President had nothing to prove about being a “courageous and selfless public servant” since that was the very reason why 16 million Filipinos voted for him.
“Such gutsy reputation precedes him and is one of the reasons which enthralled the Filipino masses who longed for a strong and decisive action man as their country’s top leader which they have not experienced with his predecessor,” Panelo said.
Panelo recalled how as then Davao City Mayor, Duterte would patrol the city alone, disguised as a taxi driver or on a motorcycle, to go after criminals at night and check on people’s safety.
Moreover, he also mentioned how the President substituted himself as hostage for the release of a hostage victim.
“No person in this country has ever done offering his life in exchange for the freedom of a hostage victim except this President,” Panelo said.
“We thus ask the good bishop to be more judicious when it comes to oratories against the President, especially when it comes to challenging the latter in his element, so as to avoid being embarrassed,” he added.
Panelo, meanwhile, said that while the President would have loved to accept the challenge, security protocols had to be observed since the chief executive had the responsibility to attend to the nation’s problems.
“PRRD would have loved to accept the challenge but security protocols are observed for his protection as President — a position carrying awesome responsibilities requiring him to attend to the problems of the nation. A position that the good bishop has never held and might never assume in his lifetime,” Panelo said.
Bacani, who has been critical of the President, has been the subject of Duterte’s tirades in the past when the President claimed he has two wives but the bishop denied this.
