Senator Risa Hontiveros on Saturday rejected former President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial remarks about killing 15 senators to make way for his nine senatorial candidates.

In an interview, Hontiveros, who is backing the candidacy of former senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Bam Aquino, said the government must prioritize lowering the prices of basic commodities instead of inciting violence.

“Well, what Duterte said about killing 15 senators to make way for his candidates — what really should be killed or bombed or brought down are the prices of goods, right?” she told reporters following a market visit with Pangilinan to Muñoz Market in Quezon City.

Is he serious?

“There’s nothing else that should be the focus in this election. That’s how important it is to bring back Senator Kiko Pangilinan and Senator Bam Aquino to the Senate — just for that real issue, which is true unity for our people: lowering food prices, increasing support for agriculture, creating jobs, and policies like those of Senator Kiko Pangilinan,” she said.

Asked for her initial reaction, the opposition lawmaker said: “My first reaction was — what? What did he say? What else can the people’s reaction be, who are already struggling in life, with the issues being discussed by Sen. Kiko and Sen. Bam.”

Expand gov’t support

House Deputy Majority Leader and ACT-CIS Representative Erwin Tulfo has proposed an expansion of government support to cover Filipinos who are jobless and have no income once the 19th Congress reconvenes in June.

According to Tulfo, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has an existing livelihood aid program where P15,000 is given to families from poor communities to enable them to start their own businesses.

He noted that beneficiaries should undergo training so they’ll be able to spend the government aid wisely.

“The beneficiaries of the expanded livelihood aid should undergo sufficient training for the ins and outs of business management so the capital given by the government would be spent to genuinely improve their lives,” he said.

Tulfo — who served as DSWD secretary for a short period — was referring to the DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program or SLP. It is a capacity-building program given to the identified poor, vulnerable and marginalized households and communities.

The SLP is part of the poverty alleviation program of the DSWD pursuant to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s goal of bringing families out of poverty.