By Addison Pascua

PHOTO: Peso Reserve

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday asked the public not to vote for Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, who is running for vice president, as well as Senator Richard Gordon, who is seeking re-election in the 2022 national polls. 

In his recent pre-recorded address aired Tuesday night, Duterte issued such advice after he lambasted Pangilinan for authoring the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act, claiming that it only raised the number of crimes “tenfold.”

“Here comes Pangilinan. You know what the guy did? Iyong mga holdupper.. Nakikita ninyo nag-i-snatch, takbo dito, takbo doon, nakukuha sa camera. They are so bold to do that because under the Pangilinan Law, hindi ka makulong,” the chief executive said.

“Actually, huwag kayong bumoto. Dalawa lang ‘yan: Gordan pati Pangilinan. Matagal na ‘yan diyan sa Senado. Tanggalin ninyo ‘yan.. Ah pareho lang utak. Ito si Pangilinan talagang hindi niya ginamit ‘yung utak niya,” Duterte mouthed.

Duterte, however, did not specify the reason why he wanted Gordon out of the Senate race.

While expressing his anger towards Pangilinan, the chief executive pointed out that Juvenile Law only encourages more children to commit crimes as they are exempted from criminal liability.

“Eh kung ‘yung 15 years old, papasok ka ng bahay, saksakin ka, patayin ka.. Pagdating doon sa istayon, sabihin ng pulis, ‘go where you want’. That increased the number of crime tenfold,” Duterte emphasized.

“Galit ako kay Pangilinan actually. Hindi galit na ano.. Ganoon talaga ako ‘pag… Nasanay mayor eh na ‘yung - helpless. Helpless ang public, helpless ang gobyerno,” he uttered.

According to Republic Act No. 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, a child 15 years old or below at the time when the crime is done shall be spared from any criminal liability and shall be released to the custody of their parents or guardian. 

The law, however, states that the child offender shall be subjected to intervention programs of the government. 

To recall, this is not the first Duterte criticized Pangilinan over the Juvenile Justice Law. In 2018, Duterte called Pangilinan the “dumbest” lawyer for authoring the bill.