Gun duel at the Luneta this November?

A VETERAN journalist of more than 50 years who once accepted a gunfight thrown his way by then Davao City mayor, Rodrigo Duterte, has issued his own challenge for a gun duel to Duterte’s son, Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte, the incumbent mayor of Davao City.

Waldy Carbonell, 81, a well-known broadcast journalist, newspaper reporter and columnist and book author, has been in the media industry for over 5 decades and a lifetime member of the National Press Club (NPC).

He told Pinoy Exposé that he was offended by the threat of Baste Duterte to “crush” Ilocos Norte thru bombing and reduced it to what happened to Marawi City after the latter was taken over by the ISIS in May 2017.  Ilocos Norte is the home province of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family.

Baste made the threat during an interview in their radio funded program in Davao City, adding he would want to be appointed as secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND) should his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, wins the 2028 presidential election.

Supposedly, Baste intends to use the resources of the Armed Forces in pulverizing Ilocos Norte.

Earlier this year, last January 28, Baste also called on Pres. Marcos to resign, over his alleged lack of “love” and vision for the country.

“Mr. President kung wala kang pag-ibig at aspirations sa iyong bansa, resign,” Baste said during a rally of their supporters in Davao City belonging to the ‘Maisug Leaders Forum.’

Sara, herself, is under fire for threatening to dig up the remains of President Marcos Senior’s at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio and throw them at the West Philippine Sea.

These threats from the Duterte siblings are seen as their frustration over what they believed as the administration’s unrelenting political persecution right after Marcos won the presidency in 2022, despite their being close political allies at the time that ensured Marcos’ victory.

November 10, Luneta, 9:00 AM

Carbonell said it would be good for Baste to show up at the Luneta on November 10, 9:00AM to prove to the world that he is not a coward “like his father.”

He recalled that in 2003, when he was sent by the NPC to help probe the death of Juan Pajadora ‘Jun’ Pala Jr., a staunch critic of then mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Duterte threatened to “slap” him if he ever shows up in the city.

Arturo Lascañas, a self-confessed member of the so-called ‘Davao Death Squad’ (DDS), subsequently owned up to killing Pala, saying the order came from Duterte. Pala was killed on September 3, 2003.

Carbonell said he told Duterte’s emissary that the mayor should not slap him as he also intends to slap the mayor back.

Duterte then escalated his threat against Carbonell, saying publicly that he would “shoot” the journalist should they cross paths.

Carbonell, who was in Davao at the time, then went to the Davao City Hall and waited for Duterte to come down from his office so they can engage in a gun duel but Duterte was a no-show.

In the confrontation with Baste, Carbonell suggested that Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, can accompany him as he is ready to face them both during the gun duel.

“The important thing is for Baste or both of them to show up at the Luneta on November 10,” Carbonell said.

In 2018, even as Duterte is still president, the feisty journalist also wrote a book, ‘A Country Run Like Hell,’ detailing the alleged abuses and atrocities committed by Pres. Duterte, especially in the war on drugs.