Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas on Sunday dared Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to withdraw from the presidential race if he can prove that Davao City residents benefitted from the government’s health insurance program.

Roxas posed the challenge after Duterte expressed doubts about the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.’s coverage in Davao City.

Duterte said he tried to apply for the program two years ago.

“It ain’t true. Wala sa Davao,” Duterte said after Roxas enumerated the gains of Philhealth over the course of the Aquino administration.

Roxas fired back at Duterte for supposedly imagining things.

“Siguro kathang-isip ito ni Mayor Duterte dahil totoong may natutulungan ang PhilHealth sa Davao,” Roxas said, even as he offered to give the mayor a list of PhilHealth beneficiaries in Davao City, first thing in the morning on Monday.

Duterte responded: “I do not believe you. You’ve made so many promises pero halos wala tayo naibigay sa tao. Puro daldal, puro announcement. It’s all corruption.”

Roxas made the challenge for Duterte to give up his presidential bid if he would be proven wrong.

“I dare you. Kung may maipakita ako sa iyong tao, ospital na natulungan sa Davao, ikaw ba ay aatras,” said Roxas, as he slammed the mayor for ignoring facts.

Survey results

Without accepting the challenge, Duterte went on to attack Roxas’ credibility.

“This is a nationwide problem. Pati Davao nilinlang nila. The people of the Philippines are listening. Is this guy telling the truth?” said Duterte.

Urging the youth not follow Duterte’s example, Roxas once again posed his challenge for the mayor to concede, saying he has video to show that PhilHealth’s programs are working in Davao.

“Tignan natin kung tutuparin niya [Duterte ang pag-concede],” Roxas said.

Once again evading the challenge, Duterte instead took a pot shot at Roxas’ poor showing in a number of presidential surveys. Duterte in recent weeks have seen a surge in preferential polls.

“Alam mo Mar, nakikinig ang buong Pilipinas… Kung totoo ang sinasabi mo at naniniwala sila sa iyo at ikaw ang maging presidente… eh bakit huli ka sa ratings,” Duterte said.

Roxas retorted: “Nakikita ng bayan ang asal mo na hindi ka karapat-dapat. Kaya sa Mayo 9, angmananalo ay ang matuwid, angmananalo ay ang disente, ang mananalo ay ang karapat-dapat.”

“Susmaryosep,” Duterte quipped before debate moderator Karen Davila interrupted to end the face-off.

The latest Pulse Asia survey commissioned by ABS-CBN showed Duterte widening his lead over his rivals in the presidential race.

His voter preference rating rose from 32 percent in the previous poll conducted from April 5 to 10, to 34 percent for the week of April 12 to 17.

Duterte was followed by Senator Grace Poe with a rating of 22 percent, 3 percentage points down from the 25 percent she posted in the previous survey.

Philippines Report

Source Credit: GMA NEWS ONLINE