Duterte refused Lucio Tan, big business during campaign

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday he refused campaign contributions from taipan Lucio Tan and other big businessmen and insisted on meager funds to make sure he would not be beholden to anyone.

Duterte said he ran his campaign with money from rich friends in his hometown Davao, where he was grounded at times when his war chest ran dry.

“Hindi ako tumanggap ng mga, I tell you, Megaworld, Lucio Tan, along the way it was a shoestring budget,” Duterte said in a speech before a Church-backed election watchdog in Malacanang.

“I am not beholden to anybody. Anak lang ako ng migrant sa Mindanao. Nanay ko maestra lang,” he said.

Duterte said he “could not even imagine” his six-million vote margin over closest rival Mar Roxas, who was backed by the massive machinery of the administration party.

“That kind of message from the people… All that I’m asking is buhay na mapayapa at tama… I was inspired by the multitude,” he said.