Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, Rep. Castro engage in heated debate

Transcript

00:00 Critics have said ex-president Rodrigo Duterte exploited the bully pulpit to the hilt, knowing

00:05 full well he was immune from suit while he was in power.

00:09 An entitlement he no longer enjoys and finds himself at the receiving end of a criminal

00:14 complaint from an opposition solon who seeks redress for the former president's alleged

00:19 threats on her life.

00:21 Our Merales Moras on the ex-president's son hitting back against his colleague/petitioner

00:26 in today's house hearing and the house coming together to condemn last week's reckless and

00:31 dangerous behavior in the West Philippine Sea.

00:36 Davao City Representative Paulo Duterte and ACT Teacher's Party List Representative

00:41 Franz Castro had a fierce exchange of statements following the latter's filing of a grave threat

00:46 complaint against former President Rodrigo Duterte due to alleged death threats.

00:51 According to Congressman Duterte, although everyone has the right to file a case against

00:56 anyone in court, public servants like Castro should not be thin-skinned and use of such

01:02 right as a tool to silence critics.

01:04 The younger Duterte added the lawmaker should stop her drama.

01:08 But Castro fought back and said, "I can accept your criticism because that is part of freedom

01:15 of speech, freedom of expression.

01:17 But the death threat is different from criticism."

01:22 The House Deputy Minority Leader also dismissed the comments of some groups saying the House

01:26 leaders seem to be in "connivance" or a "conspiracy" following the lower house move to realign

01:31 the confidential funds of Vice President Sara Duterte's offices to agencies in charge of

01:36 protecting our national security.

01:38 "Maybe the word 'connivance' with the speaker is baseless.

01:44 Maybe it's just their imagination.

01:47 Without the speaker at the scene, you can see that even if this Congress is not in the

01:56 past Congress, we are really criticizing confidential funds, intelligence funds, lump sum and pork

02:06 barrel type funds."

02:10 Meanwhile amid tensions in the West Philippine Sea, Davao del Sur Rep. John Tracy Cagas said

02:16 the House of Representatives made the right choice on the issue of confidential funds

02:20 calling it a "strategic and prudent move."

02:23 He added, "We cannot afford to be complacent when it comes to safeguarding our sovereignty

02:27 and territorial waters."

02:29 Earlier, House Speaker Martin Omalde strongly condemned the latest collision incident in

02:35 the West Philippine Sea.

02:36 Bicol-Sarawak Party List Rep. Brian Yamsuon said they are one with Speaker Romualdez on

02:41 this statement as the acts of China have posed a serious threat to regional peace and stability.

02:49 Mhm.