Roxas calls Duterte his ‘number 1 fan’

MANILA, Philippines - The more you hate, the more you love.

Liberal Party presidential candidate Manuel Roxas II appeared to be a believer of this cliché when he labeled his rival Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Friday as his “number one fan.”

Speaking to radio station dzBB, Roxas said Duterte has been hurling tirades instead of discussing his platform for the country.

“He (Duterte) has nothing else to say. What are his programs for the country? Will he fire Roxas? Will he just look at Roxas?” the administration candidate said in Filipino.

“He is my number one fan and I thank him for that. I am the only one he sees,” he added.

Roxas was asked to react to Duterte’s claim that he had a breakdown during the aftermath of typhoon Yolanda in 2013. Roxas was the interior secretary when the typhoon battered the Visayas and left more than 6,300 persons dead.  

Roxas said he would rather talk about issues and programs that matter to Filipinos.

“We are talking about where we will lead you. We are talking about jobs and stability,” he added.

Roxas and Duterte have been engaged in a verbal tiff after the Davao mayor accused the administration candidate of spreading rumors that he has cancer.

Roxas denied the allegation, saying he lost his father and brother to cancer and would never want anyone to experience it. Roxas' father, former senator Gerry Roxas, and his brother, Dinggoy, both died of cancer.

The word war continued when Roxas downplayed as a “myth” claims that Davao City under Duterte was one of the most peaceful places in the country.

Duterte, who projects himself as a crime buster, retaliated by saying that Roxas is not a true graduate of Wharton, the business school of the University of Pennsylvania. Duterte’s claim has been debunked by the university.

Duterte also threatened to slap Roxas if they see each other on the campaign trail.

Roxas, who vowed to raise the level of political discourse in the country, challenged Duterte to a slapping match and a fist fight. Not to be outdone, Duterte said the issue should be settled though a gun duel.

Early this week, Duterte called Roxas a “gay” who cannot solve the problem of criminality in the country.

Roxas’ camp has dismissed Duterte’s actions as an effort to attract attention and has urged the mayor to “act like a serious candidate.”