Atty. Martin Delgra. Photo:Republika News / Izel Abanilla

MANILA, Philippines – “It was just plain joke.”

This was the answer of former Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chief Martin Delgra over the latest rhetoric of former President Rodrigo Duterte about killing senators to ensure the sweep of his bets in the coming midterm elections this May. 

Delgra is among the 29 petitioners who filed a motion before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, February 18, seeking to block the Senate from convening as an impeachment over what they called a “constitutionally deficient” and “jurisdictionally void” complaint. 

“Ang sagot lang dun, ano ‘yung reaction ng mga tao nung narinig nila ‘yung remark ng former President, tumawa lahat. Does that encourage disobedience to the authorities, it was just [a] plain joke delivered by the former President,” Delgra, a longtime ally of the former President, said. 

Swiping back at critics, Delgra said those who probably took offense at the former state chief’s remark were among those who did not laugh. 

“If you’re going to blow it out of proportion, probably ikaw ‘yung isa dun sa mga hindi tumawa. All of us just laughed off what was said by the former President,” Delgra said. 

Similar to what most allies of the tough-talking former President always say, Duterte’s humor has always been consistent through the years and should not be taken seriously. 

“Alam mo yung mga ganung klaeng salita pabalik balik din ‘yung mga sinasabi nila. We have known the former President even before when he was mayor and then he became president,” Delgra said. 

“Is there any difference with what he said recently with what he said as mayor until he became president? Nothing. Just take it at that, by his word. No serious guy would ever file a case against him,” Delgra said. 

As the campaign season started on February 11, mudslinging between the administration camp and the Dutertes made deadlines along with the platforms of their bets. 

President Marcos Jr. scoffed at Duterte by saying his candidates’ hands are not tainted with blood from tokhang victims and are not pro–China, among others, which the former President answered back yet again with a highlight of the issue of Marcos’ alleged drug use. 

Some lawmakers said Duterte’s ease of mouthing killing as a form of joke is now alarming. 

Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) chief Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III on Monday even filed criminal complaints against the former President. 

He filed unlawful utterances and inciting to sedition before the Department of Justice arguing that Duterte’s remarks could influence blind supporters into following him which he compared to the former’s campaign promise of killing of drug addicts which led to his victory. 

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