DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte is thinking over the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP)-Laban resolution nominating him as the ruling party’s vice presidential candidate in the upcoming May 2022 elections, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Presiden Duterte will make his decision based on what he thinks is best for the nation.
“Pag-iisipan po niya. Siyempre po siya ay na-nominate, kinakailangan pag-isipan. On one hand eh sabi niya nakapagsilbi na siya sa bayan, on the other hand, ang sabi niya iisipin niya kung anong pinakamabuti para sa bayan – iyon po ang kasagutan ng Presidente (He will think about it. Of course, he was nominated so he needs to think about it. On the one hand, he says he has already served the country, on the other hand, he said he will think about what is best for the country),” he said in a Palace press briefing.
He shrugged off claims made by Bayan Secretary-General Renato Reyes that the PDP-Laban resolution is all part of the President’s plan to establish a “Duterte dynasty” in the country.
“Unang-una, paano po magkakaroon ng plano e wala pa pong desisyon ang Presidente? Ang sinabi lang po niya pag-iispan niya dahil siya’y na-nominate. Hindi naman pupuwede balewalain ‘yun. So dahil wala pang desisyon, patunay po ‘yan na walang plano (First, how would the President have a plan if he has yet to make a decision? He just said he will think about it because he got nominated. He can’t ignore that. So because he has not made a decision yet, it’s proof that he does not have a plan),” he said.
Roque also snapped back at opposition coalition 1Sambayan for describing Duterte’s alleged run for the country’s second-highest office in 2022 as a “joke of the worst kind”.
“Wala pa naman pong desisyon ang Presidente. Ang masasabi ko lang, baka (The President has not made a decision yet. All I can say is) the joke may be on them,” he said.
On Monday, the PDP-Laban adopted a resolution seeking to convince Duterte to run for vice president and choose his running mate for president during the party’s national council meeting in Cebu City.
Still allies
Roque said Duterte and PDP-Laban President and Senator Manny Pacquiao remain allies despite a rift within their political party over pushing through with the national council meeting.
“I believe so. Wala naman pong nangyaring pagbabago bagama’t natuloy po yung PDP-Laban (There are no changes even if the PDP-Laban council meeting pushed through). He remains to be party president as of now,” he said.
Pacquiao earlier urged its members to ignore PDP-Laban vice chair and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi’s call for an assembly.
On Sunday, Duterte, the party’s chairperson, instructed Cusi to proceed with the meeting.
Meanwhile, Roque said he does not see a hindrance should Pacquiao seek an audience with Duterte after these developments.
“Wala pa pong schedule pero wala rin naman akong nakikitang hadlang sa pagpupulong na ‘yan (There is no schedule yet but I don’t see any hindrance to that meeting),” he said.
