Only a moron would say I ‘surrendered’ to Marcoses – Duterte

MARAWI CITY, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte distanced himself from the Marcoses on Thursday, September 21, as the country marked the 45th year since Martial Law was declared by the late president Ferdinand Marcos.

Duterte was discussing government policy not to bomb mosques in Marawi when he suddenly mentioned the Marcoses. 

“You must be an idiot or a moron like the one who said I am a moron because I surrendered to the Marcoses,” Duterte told the media in Marawi during his 5th visit to the war-torn city.

Anti-martial law groups launched protests on Thursday comparing Duterte to Marcos, who was also notorious for human rights violations under his regime. He was also likened to the notorious German dictator Adolf Hitler. 

“The Marcoses never supported me for the last 40 years that I have been a public official. I have never lost an election. I never asked anybody. I was just relying on the name of my father, who was governor of our place many, many years ago. It was an honest life. And That is what I want for the country. Honestly, that’s why I hate corruption,” said Duterte.

Duterte had previously thanked Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos for supporting him in the 2016 presidential elections. It turned out she was not listed as among his donors in his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures. 

Duterte went on to talk about corruption in government and appeared to be speaking about particular people whom he said he will not yet name. 

“I don’t want to humiliate people. Some of them are already in the age to retiring. I reckon that by this time, at 65, most of their children have already finished school. Some are doctors, lawyers. I would not want to put them to shame. I will just say, ‘Go out silently into the night,'” said Duterte. – Rappler.com