Poe makes counter-offer: Duterte is my crime czar

CRIME CZAR. Presidential bet Grace Poe says she will offer the crime czar post to her closest rival Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Rappler photos

MANILA, Philippines – Presidential bet Grace Poe on Thursday, April 14, said she would also offer a Cabinet post to her closest rival Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte if she wins as president.

Duterte earlier said that, if he becomes president, he would appoint Poe as his tourism or social welfare secretary, even as he reiterated his opposition to the Supreme Court decision allowing the senator to run for president.

Poe welcomed the offer and thanked Duterte. In exchange, she said she would also tap the tough-talking mayor as her crime czar.

The senator, however, earlier hit Duterte for espousing a “bloody” campaign in restoring peace and order, as she maintained “justice” – not violence – is the solution. (READ: Poe hits Duterte in Mindanao: 'Killing not the answer')

“Well, salamat sa kanyang pagtingin at kanyang offer. Susuklian ko rin, gusto ko rin i-offer sa kanya ang pagiging crime czar – so siya na lang,” Poe told reporters in a chance interview in Baseco Compound in Manila.

(Well, I thank him for his view and offer. I will return that. I also want to offer him to be my crime czar – so that's him.)

Poe said the post would serve as a challenge to her rival, who vowed to quit the presidency if he fails to end crime nationwide in just 3 to 6 months.

“Sapagkat ang maganda no'n dahil sinabi niya 3 to 6 months matatapos 'yung problema. So, 'pag hindi niya nagawa nang 3 to 6 months…siya na raw mismo ang aalis. So para sa akin, 'yon din ang hamon sa kanya. Sigurado siya ang crime czar,” she added.

(What's good about his promise is, he said he would end the problem in just 3 to 6 months. So, if he doesn't do it in 3 to 6 months...he would be the one to leave. So for me, that's also my challenge to him. So maybe he's the crime czar.)

Poe earlier said she would appoint the “clean” and “brave” retired Colonel Ariel Querubin as her crime czar. – Rappler.com