PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday poked fun at former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada who celebrated his 80th birthday on Wednesday, threatening to have him detained again for once calling him a “low-class” politician.
‘‘Si Erap, naghihintay na ‘yung buang. Birthday niya ngayon eh. Sabi niya, ‘Punta ka talaga ha kasi…?’ Tapos noon sabi niya, ‘Wala ‘yan si Duterte. Ano ‘yan, low class lang ‘yan. Ano ‘yang style niya pag ka ano..’ Ngayon, t*** i** ibalik kita sa kulungan,” Duterte said in late evening speech at the Cine Lokal launch in Pasay.
Duterte said that not even Estrada could find any fault with him.
“Ano namang makita mo sa akin? If you find, if you want to find fault? Money? It will take you forever. Women? They’re all—matanda na sila. Pinatawad ko na sila. Sabi ko, wala na. so wala. I sleep early. After eating, I sleep, listen to the news,” he added.
Estrada, who served as the 13th President from 1998 to 2001 and as the ninth vice president from 1992 to 1998, was detained on plunder charges after he was impeached in 2001.
He was pardoned in 2007 by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
In his message during Estrada’s birthday bash at the Manila Hotel, Duterte greeted the former President and reiterated his commitment to eliminate illegal drugs and corruption in the country, noting that failing to address the problem threatened the next generation of Filipinos.
His goal, Duterte said, was to eliminate graft and corruption and illegal drugs in the country and then he would let his economic managers improve the economy.
He said among the members of the Cabinet were brilliant men who could run the economy well and that they were also clean and honest.
At the same time, he promised to go after the abusive oligarchs, particularly those who were not paying the correct taxes.
The government’s peace talks with the communists and Muslim separatists were ongoing, he said and warned about the threats from Islamic extremists.
Present during the celebration were former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Loren Legarda, Rep. Imelda Marcos and former Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Ferdinand Marcos Jr.