Who is Duterte's top donor Emilio Aguinaldo?

ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATE) – Who is presidential race front-runner Rodrigo Duterte's top campaign donor "Emilio Aguinaldo"?

During the final debate sanctioned by the Commission on Elections and hosted by ABS-CBN, Duterte was asked by host Karen Davila to name his top campaign donor.

Duterte answered, ''nasa bukid, ma'am." However, when pressed for a name, he said ''Emilio Aguinaldo."

In an interview in Davao City on Tuesday, Duterte said the name is only "fictitious".

"It's fictitious. Eh sino ba naman ang magbigay sa'yo kung ibulgar mo yung pangalan niya. You can write it in Comelec, pero after na. Karamihan taga-Davao," Duterte said.

He said there were offers from big businessmen before but with conditions if he win as president. He said they did not pursue their offers.

Duterte spokesperson Peter Laviña, meanwhile, explained that the "Emilio Aguinaldo" mentioned by the Davao City mayor represents the many poor Filipinos, such as farmers, who have contributed small amounts to the Duterte campaign.

"Iyung pera natin, mga heroes ang nakalagay sa pera natin. Si Emilio Aguinaldo sa 5 peso bill natin, meron din coins na 5 pesos. Maliit masyado ang halaga pero malaki ang symbolism dahil isa sa ating national hero si Emilio Aguinaldo. Iyun lang ang halaga na kayang ibigay ng maliit na tao,'' Laviña said.

Emilio Aguinaldo was the first president of the Philippines during the first Republic from January 1899 to March 1901. - reports from Paul Palacio and Hernel Tocmo, ABS-CBN News Davao

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