Fariñas on 2019 plans: Can I just retire instead?

House Majority Leader Rep. Rodolfo Farinas INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON

If he had his way, House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas would want to retire from politics in 2019 instead of pursuing a Senate seat, for now.

In an interview with reporters, Fariñas, who is serving his third and last term, said it was just Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III’s personal wish to field him in the administration’s prospective slate for the midterm elections.

“The Senate President said I would want you to be there pero (but) I told him, if only I could just retire in 2019 from politics,” he said.

While Fariñas said “I am not interested,” he added that on the other hand, “the possibility is always there.”

Still, he noted that despite Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s invitation, he did not join him in oath-taking ceremonies for the new members of President Duterte’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

Another prospective administration candidate, Davao City 1st Dist. Rep. Karlo Nograles, said that “nothing’s definite” and noted that Pimentel was only tossing out names in his “wish list.”

“I’m not really thinking about anything beyond what is needed here in the House, whatever needs to be done… We are not thinking beyond that,” Nograles said.

“Of course, I thanked Senator Pimentel for even mentioning my name or considering me but I think this has to go through a process,” he added.