PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has once again floated the idea of running for the second-highest post in the country in the 2022 elections, saying he is “sold on the idea.”
During his meeting with the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) officers, the Chief Executive admitted he was “seriously thinking” about the idea.
“To the proposition that I run for vice president, medyo I’m (somehow) sold [on] the idea. I am seriously thinking of running for vice president but let me dwell into the reality of things,” Duterte said Monday, July 5.
However, he said that the next Philippine president should be “a friend” that he can work with.
“Kung tatakbo akong bise presidente, hindi ko kaibigan ‘yung maging presidente (If I run for vice president and the next president is not my friend), I would be reduced to inutility,” said Duterte.
“Ito ang dilemma ko (This is my dilemma). The president who will win must be a friend of mine whom I can work with,” he added.
Duterte also said that he won’t promise anything if he runs for vice president. Instead, he will address the Filipinos’ “present agony and sorrow.”
“If I run as vice president, which you want me to do so, maybe I will,” he said.
“But huwag na tayong mag-promise ng mga pabahay, lahat ganoon (let’s not make any promises of granting anything, like housing). We just address the present agony and sorrow of the Filipino,” he added.
Last week, Duterte told Filipinos they may “consider” him “a candidate” for the country’s second-highest office.
“Maybe at this time, you can say that maybe para (just) to maintain the equilibrium sa lahat (for all), consider me a candidate for the vice presidency at this time,” Duterte said July 1.
However, he maintained that would only run if “there is space,” reiterating his promise to support House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez if he decides to run for vice president.
“So, if Romualdez would hang on to that commitment, sabi ko nga, if there is space lang, kung wala (As I’ve said, if there is a space only, if none [I won’t run]),” Duterte said.
In May, the PDP-Laban’s national council adopted a resolution urging Duterte to run for the country’s second-highest office in the 2022 elections.
Adopted during a National Council Assembly in Cebu City, the resolution also urged Duterte to name his running mate for president in next year’s race.
The national council received petitions and resolutions from various regions, local government units, and chapters of the party calling for Duterte to run for the vice presidency, according to PDP-Laban Vice President for External Affairs and Secretary Raul Lambino.
“The text of this resolution read as follows: ‘Resolution to convince the party chairman, President Rodrigo Duterte, to run as Vice President in the 2022 national elections and for President Rodrigo Duterte to choose his running mate for president in the 2022 national elections,’” Lambino said on May 31. n
