National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. defends President Rodrigo Duterte from his distractors who have been criticizing the president these past few days.
This is in relation to the controversial verbal tussle between the president and Senator Richard Gordon which is being feasted on by the media and the public.
Earlier, Gordon allegedly called Duterte “probinsyano” for designating former or retired military officials as his cabinet members.
In the exclusive interview by Bombo Radyo Dagupan, Esperon says that there is nothing wrong for being a “probinsyano.” In fact, the official adds, the background of the chief executive is impressive because he was able to rise from being a mere barrio man and became a congressman for 23 years.
Aside from that, Duterte was able to study in Ateneo de Manila University, known as one of the most prestigious universities in the Philippines. Then, he went to hold on the highest position in politics—being the president of the entire country.
Esperon says that the factors he mentions are more than enough to prove that Duterte is currently in the highest echelon of Philippine politics in spite of his being a “probinsyano.”
Gordon, in his part, explained that he had good intention in criticizing Duterte for choosing ex-military personnel for his cabinets because he (Gordon) only wanted to make sure that the country will not lead to having militarized government.
He cleared that he had high respect to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) because it is protecting the public and the entire country from various forms of insurgencies and lawless elements.
Gordon added that, to prove his support to the military, he passed policies to strengthen AFP, Philippine Navy and Philipine Coast Guard. with report from Bombo Badz Agtalao
