Digong gives Leni a ribbing: Marry me

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte proposed Wednesday night that Vice President Leni Robredo just marry him if she cannot wait to be president. 

Earlier, Duterte had branded Robredo an enemy who was in a hurry to claim the presidency.

“The woman you elected is in a hurry to get rid of me,” he told Filipinos in a speech in Bangkok, Thailand. 

“I have not been here for a year and she wants to get rid of me. Well, she’s single. Marry me. Then there will be two of us here,” he said in Filipino.

“At least I won’t be removed. I can just whisper to you,” he added.

Duterte told Robredo not to rush, as she has not done anything substantial yet for the country. 

“Why are you in a hurry? Wait. What have you done for the nation?” he said, addressing Robredo in Filipino.

In a speech before the Filipino community in Nay Pyi Taw in Myanmar Sunday, Duterte tore into his critics, including Robredo.

Among my enemies, Leni [Robredo] is in too much of a hurry to become president,” he said.

The President had said he would not be surprised if Robredo were behind the impeachment complaint against him, but said he never asked any government official to move against her, nor was he involved in attempts to impeach her.

Robredo, who released a scathing attack on the Duterte administration’s drug war through a video prepared for a United Nations meeting in Vienna, has denied any involvement in the impeachment complaint against Duterte.

Duterte, who will be 72 on March 28, told reporters he wished for more strength to finish his work as the country’s chief executive and more time to spend with his family.

Speaking to reporters following his arrival from a four-day state visit to Myanmar and Thailand, Duterte said that he no longer wants material gifts and has already reached “the apex” of his career.

“I’m 72 years old. Give or take the reality of it all, in about five to seven years, I’m about ready by that time also. By that time, God willing if I complete the term, I would be walking slowly,” he said.

“So my wish really, my prayer to God is that I be given strength to our..[work]. Twenty-four hours is not really enough for the presidency, unless you want to sleep more than just about four hours.” 

Duterte said that for him to finish his term, he should be more careful to avoid more impeachment complaints.

“I only ask God that give me a little bit of time, a little strength to surmount the problems of the country and that I’d be able, not really to solve but maybe mitigate some of the [problems],” he said.

Duterte, who says he believes in God but not in religion, asked God for people to understand what he’s doing.

The tough-talking leader appeared soft when he said that he wants to spend more time with his newborn grandson, Marko Digong “Stonefish” Duterte-Carpio, son of presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. 

“I would be very glad to spend my time with my newest grandson Stone and the rest of my children and grandchildren. That would have been the greatest gift that I can ask in this planet. That for me is enough,” he said.

Duterte, the oldest man to be elected as President of the Philippines, was born on March 28, 1945 in Maasin, Southern Leyte.