Saying he's not politicking, President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night went into a lengthy rant against Sen. Richard Gordon -- accusing the lawmaker of sinophobia and criticizing him for his weight.
In a meeting with members of the government's task force on pandemic response, Duterte threw schoolyard insults at Gordon, who said he was considering to run for president in 2022.
"Ang advice ko sayo, magpapayat ka muna...Pati yung buhok mo ngayon iba na ang hinapay. Lahat kayo ngayon pati si Ping," the President said, referring to Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who is running for president next year.
The President made the remark as the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, headed by Gordon, investigated the government's spending of pandemic response funds that were flagged by the Commission on Audit.
Duterte said Gordon had a "nasty habit" of dominating Senate hearings and depriving others of the chance to ask questions. Gordon has been known to deliver long speeches and lengthy questions during Senate hearings.
“The guy wants to talk and show to the world that he is a bright boy. Wala namang question 'yan parehas tayong abugado parehas tayong pumasa sa bar. Iisa lang naman yan pero iba ka ‘dre,” Duterte said.
"Pahinga ka na lang and magturo ka na lang ng voice and diction pati grammar pati how to talk and not to be understood at all," he said.
In response, Gordon said he forgave the president for calling him names.
"You know why I forgive you? Because you go into personal attacks. That's fine with me. Alam ko mahina ang tao na nag-aatake personally," he told reporters.
"Bakit niyo tatawaging mataba ako? Alam ko mataba ako. Hindi naman tayo nagpapagandahang lalaki, palagay ko mananalo naman ako kapag nagpagandahang lalaki tayo," he added.
Lacson also replied to the President: "I don’t know what President Duterte is talking about when he commented on my hairstyle. I haven’t changed the way I comb my hair, since long before he had lost his mind."
Gordon is the latest politician with plans to run in the 2022 vote to catch Duterte's ire.
Previously, Duterte called Sen. Manny Pacquiao "punch drunk" and threw shade at Manila Mayor Isko Moreno over the local chief executive's sexy film past with a "call boy" remark. Both Pacquiao and Moreno have been linked to possible 2022 presidential bids.
Duterte last week confirmed plans to run for vice president next year, the first Philippine leader to do so.