TARLAC CITY, Philippines – Rodrigo Duterte dispelled insinuations he is a spoiler candidate meant to steal votes from Mar Roxas and Grace Poe, for the benefit of Jejomar Binay’s candidacy.

“Ako mayor ng Davao City. I’ve never lost an election. Magpapagamit ako?” he told media during a sortie in Concepcion, Tarlac. (I am the mayor of Davao City. I’ve never lost an election. I’ll allow myself to be used?)

There are speculations in some quarters that Duterte is merely a “spoiler” candidate to break votes that would have gone to Roxas or Poe. The beneficiary of such a move would supposedly be Vice President Binay. 

But he said this was not the case, even taking jabs at Binay during the meeting with farmers. (READ: Duterte on Binay: Shorter than me, but with deeper pockets)

No baggage

Among his other rivals for the presidency, only Binay can claim street credentials in being able to stop drugs and criminality. But Binay can’t credibly say he can fight corruption, said Duterte.

“Ako lang pati isang tao ang pwedeng humirit tungkol sa drugs and crime. I can talk about drugs, I can talk about criminality. I can talk about corruption. Pero itong isa, drugs lang, criminality. Pero hindi siya makasalita about corruption,” he said.

(Only I and just one other person can talk about drugs and crime. I can talk about drugs, I can talk about criminality, I can talk about corruption. But this one person, drugs and criminality only. He cannot speak about corruption.)

In the most recent Pulse Asia survey, Duterte shared second place with Binay and Roxas with Poe reclaiming the top spot.

Binay came closest to Poe in numbers, garnering 23% of voter preferences to her 30%. Duterte was at 20%.

But in the more recent January 27-February 4 survey by Laylo Research Strategies, Duterte ranked 3rd with 20%. Tied for second place with 22% were Binay and Roxas. Poe kept her lead with 29%.

Asked about Binay’s higher survey ratings, Duterte said, “They want a corrupt guy, what can we do? That is the choice of the people.”

So if he and Binay are both competent, what does he have over Binay? 

“I can talk about corruption without the baggage, without the attendant hesitations,” he said. 

Duterte added that he has the “track record” of fighting criminals and stamping out corruption through measures in Davao City like cutting red tape in government and whipping law enforcement agencies into shape.

Binay, formerly a Makati City mayor, faces plunder cases for allegedly profiting from Makati City projects. – Rappler.com