ITINANGGI ng Palasyo na iniutos ni Pangulong Duterte ang ambush kay dating Daanbantayan, Cebu mayor Vicente Loot matapos naman ang naunang pag-amin ng presidente.
Sa isang pahayag, iginiit ni Presidential Spokesperson at Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo na mali lamang ang paggamit ng salita ni Duterte.
“Inambush kita, buhay ka pa is uttered by a Bisaya President who is not proficient in Pilipino, the vernacular language used in the capital city of Manila and in most areas in Luzon,” sabi ni Panelo.
“What the President intended to say was: ‘Inambush ka na, buhay ka pa.’ That has been his line as shown by the transcripts of some of his previous speeches every time he touches on the topic of General Loot’s ambush,” dagdag ni Panelo.
Nauna nang sinabi ni Duterte sa kanyang talumpati sa Malacanang Martes ng gabi ang mga salitang,”Inambush kita animal ka, buhay pa rin.”
Matatandaang nakaligtas si Loot sa isang pananambang noong Mayo 2018 kung saan apat ang sugatan. Kabilang si Loot sa pinangalanan ni Duterte bilang protektor ng droga.
“Let us be clear and categorical: The President did not order the ambush of Gen. Loot. It is silly and absurd to conclude that PRRD is behind the ambush just because he misspeaks the Pilipino language which is not his native tongue or first language,” giit ni Panelo.
“The Filipino nation by this time is already familiar and used to the language of the President who invariably uses a mixture of English, Bisaya (Cebuano dialect) and Pilipino in communicating with the nation,” paliwanag pa ni Panelo.