Press Release
December 27, 2019

Duterte can't stand criticisms, praises from perceived critics - De Lima

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has chided Mr. Duterte for verbally attacking popular economist and columnist Prof. Solita Collas-Monsod for the latter's commentary praising the administration's poverty reduction efforts.

De Lima, the first prominent political prisoner under the Duterte regime, said Duterte's recent expletive against Monsod only shows his inclination to attack his perceived enemies regardless of their views about his governance.

"There seems to be no end to Duterte's vileness. His toxic mouth strikes again! When he let fly an expletive against Prof. Winnie Monsod, he revealed another side of his disgusting masculinity. That not only can he not stand criticisms but also cannot stand plain praise," she said in her Dispatch from Crame No. 679.

Duterte recently reacted negatively to Monsod's column published by Inquirer entitled "What the latest poverty data tell us" where she congratulated the present administration for reportedly lifting 5.9 million people and 1.1 million families out of poverty between 2015 to 2018.

Shortly after the column was published last Dec. 14, Presidential Spokesman Salavador Panelo announced that Mr. Duterte did not appreciate Monsod's commentary about the present government.

"The President asked me to give his response to this columnist. He said: 'Tell her, I hate being patronized! F*** you!'" Panelo was quoted as saying.

Monsod, for her part, reportedly laughed off Duterte's message, saying, "Why would I comment on something like that?"

De Lima, a known social justice and human rights champion here and abroad, said Duterte's reaction to Monsod's praise is unbecoming of a President.

"For showing intellectual honesty, Prof. Winnie is received as patronizing and cussed offhandedly. Obviously, he regards her as his critic. The toxic wellspring of Duterte's mouth is stunningly prodigious and never runs dry. And he is having a field day being infantile and unpresidential," she said.

"Tayo lang yata ang may pangulo na ang parating hanap ay kontrobersya at mahilig mambastos pero pikon. Shame!" she added.

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