Paolo Duterte says Castro ‘onion-skinned’ after suing his father

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 25) — Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte said ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro should “come out clean,” as he dismissed the grave threat complaint filed against his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, as “a tool to silence critics.”

The Davao City solon issued a statement on Wednesday, a day after Castro sued the former president.

READ: Castro files grave threat complaint vs ex-Pres. Duterte

“We all have the right to file a complaint against anyone in court. But public servants should not be onion-skinned and should not make use of this right as a tool to silence critics,” he said.

He defended his father, saying the latter even received “much harsher and humiliating criticisms in the past” but no case was filed against his critics.

The lawmaker added that public servants are “all under scrutiny.”

He said Castro must not hide behind her “so-called right,” and face the accusations.

“If the former president has said something that threatened her, then maybe she should come out clean,” he said, as he urged them to put an end to the “drama.”

During his interview on Sonshine Media Network International earlier this month, the former president red-tagged Castro and the rest of the Makabayan bloc, and said the first target of Vice President Sara Duterte’s proposed secret funds should be Castro.

«Ikaw France, kayong mga Komunista ang gusto kong patayin (You France, you communists, are the ones I want to kill),» he said.

Reacting to the Davao City solon’s statement, Castro said filing a complaint against the former top official was meant to “protect” herself, her family, and colleagues.