Duterte might step down if Bongbong wins poll protest — Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte may make true of his promise to step down if former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos wins his electoral protest against Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo, Malacañang said Thursday.

Duterte on Tuesday said he was already “tired” and wanted to step down but would want the likes of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero to succeed him.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the President’s remark was just “statement of exasperation.”

“Well, what he actually said is a real statement of exasperation and genuine wish to step down if there’s a better leader or a qualified leader to take over, and he has said that he thinks that Senator Bongbong Marcos is one of the better qualified leader to succeed him if there is a development and he wins the protest and he becomes the vice president, yes he will make true his word,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.

Under the 1987 Constitution, the vice president becomes the president should the highest political post in the country becomes vacant.

Duterte has belittled Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo’s qualities as a leader.

Robredo is facing an electoral protest before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) after Marcos accused the vice president of cheating him in the May 2016 elections, which also catapulted Duterte to the presidency.

“If he (Marcos) wins, if he becomes vice president, perhaps the President he will make true his word, he will step down. Because what he is worried about is if we use Constitutional succession, then the successor may not be qualified,” Roque said.

“That’s a conclusion that you can make,” he added. /je