Duterte urged: Be a statesman, attend quad comm probe

Profanities notwithstanding, former president Rodrigo Duterte should show that he can be a statesman by attending this week's hearing of the House of Representatives quad committee investigating purported state-sanctioned summary executions during his term, according to lawmakers.

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"Please be reminded that while you still enjoy having Presidential Security Group personnel, you are now - for all intents and purposes - a civilian who no longer carries that mandate, so please, act like a statesman if you want to be respected," House Assistant Majority Leader and Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun said.

"With all due respect Mr. fPRRD, don't make any more excuses in not attending our hearings. Please make sure to be around on Wednesday, so that you can make true your threat to kick congressmen, as you have repeatedly warned. Be here at the quad comm hearing, and go ahead, kick us if that will make you happy. I'm very sure your supporters nationwide will also be watching on national TV or YouTube, ready to give you the loudest applause you want to hear," Khonghun said.

His colleague in the "Young Guns" clique among administration lawmakers, House Assistant Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V, also advised the former president to personally attend the hearings, just as he promised to do so after the Nov. 1 holiday, so he could indeed physically kick congressmen at his will.

"How can you kick us if you don't physically attend the hearings? Be man enough to do it. I suppose you're a man of your word.

Don't make empty threats. Please make no mistake: while we respect you, by no stretch of the imagination does this mean we're afraid of you. Give us respect, too," Ortega said.