Cayetano vows ‘100 percent’ support for Inday Sara as Duterte’s successor if…

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano. INQUIRER.net

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday said he would support “100 percent” the candidacy of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio if President Rodrigo Duterte endorses her to be his successor.

“One day the President asked me, ‘oh ano?’ and I said, I’ll support Sara if she runs,” Cayetano said in an interview after the hearing on the 2019 budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) at the House of Representatives.

Cayetano’s remark was his response to questions about his reaction to lawyer Barry Gutierrez’s statement that Mr. Duterte seemed to have forgotten to name the DFA chief as his successor since the President had said he would only resign if Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos would replace him.

Gutierrez is the spokesperson of Vice President Leni Robredo. Cayetano was Mr. Duterte’s vice president in the May 2016 elections.

“Pasensiya na siya, pero talo si BBM at Chiz noong eleksyon… hanggang dito ba naman nakalimutan pa rin si Alan?” Gutierrez quipped.

READ: Duterte: I’d be happy to step down | Duterte to step down if Bongbong Marcos, Chiz Escudero would replace him | Duterte might step down if Bongbong wins poll protest — Palace

But the DFA chief shrugged off such criticism.

“I’m very very very happy and fulfilled where I am now. I told my wife if this is the last job na ibigay sa aking ng Panginoon, I’m happy,” he said.

“There’ve been instances in the past where the President recommended me, sometimes in private, sometimes in public. As a human you got flattered, pero malayo pa eh (but it’s still far).”

“So sa akin (for me), you know it’s just I’m getting tired of politics. It’s 2018, 2022 ‘yung election,” he added.

Cayetano nevertheless expressed confidence that Duterte would not resign. He also assured that Duterte does not have any major health problems.

Cayetano then chided Gutierrez for presenting that irony.

“Ako nga hindi nag-react eh, bakit sya nagre-react? (I’m not even reacting so why is he reacting?)” he noted.

Supporting Sara

Cayetano, at this point, underscored his support for Duterte-Carpio even if the presidential daughter never announced any plans to run as the next president.

READ: Mayor Sara Duterte: I have no interest in running for Senate

“Sa akin, if the President endorses her daughter as the next president, there’s no question, I will support 100 percent,” he reiterated.

He also said however that he would be vocal if he “cannot accept” Mr. Duterte’s choice for his successor.

“Now if it’s not her daughter, malamang suportahan, but if it’s someone na hindi ko kayang tanggapin (if it’s someone I can’t accept), I’ll respectfully tell him (Duterte) na, Mr. President, hindi kita kokontrahin pero (I won’t contradict you but) I don’t think the record of this person is good,” Cayetano said.

Pressed to name a person whom he does not want to be the next Chief Executive, Cayetano said: “Marami, 110 million ang Pilipino eh… As I said, ayokong mamulitika.”  /kga