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WHAT A DIFFERENCE A FEW MONTHS MAKE

Before 'sampal' threats, Roxas, Duterte were dining buddies


What a difference a few months make.

Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas and PDP-Laban presidential candidate Davao City Rodrigo Duterte now appear to be the worst of enemies among the presidential candidates in the 2016 elections.

But less than four months ago, Duterte was even in Roxas' radar as a possible running mate.

"Mag-uusap kami kung gusto niyang magpa-konsidera," Roxas said when asked in an in September if he was also considering the Duterte for the vice presidency.

A few more months earlier in May, Duterte even met Roxas at a Davao City restaurant.

Religious leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy was present at the meeting.

A picture showed Roxas smiling while listening intently to what Duterte was saying.

 

A video posted on YouTube in 2009 also showed how comfortable Roxas and Duterte were in each other's company as they had what appeared to be lunch at a Davao City eatery.

Things, however, went downhill for Roxas and Duterte's friendship when a report came out that Duterte had throat cancer, a story that the Davao City mayor blamed on Roxas' camp.

"Hindi ko akalain na bibirahin nila ako. Madumi talaga," Duterte said in October.

Duterte said Roxas should not be elected president. He, however, said that he wouldn't campaign against the LP stalwart.

"I might just refuse to campaign for him. Kaibigan ko 'yan," he said.

However, the animosity appeared to boil over this week after Duterte said he would slap Roxas if their paths crossed during the campaign. This stemmed from Roxas' claim that Davao City's claim as one of the world's safest cities was a myth.

Duterte hit back, saying it was Roxas' degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania that was a myth.

Roxas said he'd allow Duterte to slap him if he failed to prove that he had a degree from the school. He, however, said he'd slap Duterte if he managed to show proof.

A GMA News Research inquiry showed Roxas indeed had an economics degree from Wharton.

Roxas' camp also posted his graduation picture on his website.

On Tuesday, Roxas upped the ante, daring Duterte to a fistfight.

Duterte, however, maintained that Roxas is not a Wharton graduate. —NB/JST, GMA News

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