Gatchalian: No ‘constitutional prohibition’ on Go-Duterte tandem in 2022 polls

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian during the Senate Committee of the Whole’s third hearing into the government’s Covid-19 vaccination plan. Senate PRIB file photo / Alex Nueva España

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian sees no “constitutional prohibition” if ever President Rodrigo Duterte decides to run for vice president in the 2022 elections with Senator Christopher “Bong” Go as his running mate.

“Wala namang constitutional prohibition. Silent ang Constitution natin dun. So, in terms of legality, pwede,” Gatchalian told media men in an interview in Legazpi City over the weekend when sought for comment on a proposal for the president to run as a vice presidential candidate in next year’s elections..

(I don’t think there’s any constitutional prohibition. So in terms of legality, he can run.)

The senator was in Legazpi City on Sunday for the Joint Induction and Turnover Ceremonies of the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Senate Philippines.

“But again, wala pa naman nagsasabi na gagawin yun [Duterte’s vice presidential bid] so it’s very hard to comment kung hindi naman niya gagawin so I don’t want to speculate,” Gatchalian went on.

(But again, there’s yet any announcement about that so it’s very hard to comment if it turns out that he would not be running for that position so I don’t want to speculate.)

Some members of Duterte’s party, PDP-Laban, is calling for him to run for the country’s second highest position.

Go’s name, meanwhile, is being floated to be Durerte’s running mate as a presidential candidate.

Go won a senatorial seat in 2019. Senators serve a six-year term but are only allowed a maximum of two consecutive terms.

While Gatchalian described Go as a dedicated senator, he said he is not in a position to comment on his colleague’s plan for the 2022 polls since they belong to different political parties.

Gatchalian belongs to the Nationalist People’s Coalition while Go is part of the ruling PDP-Laban party.

“Nakatrabaho ko po siya since 2019 nung nanalo po siya at isa lang ang masasabi ko, masipag at dedicated po si Sen. Bong Go,” Gatchalian said.

(I’ve worked with him since 2019 when he won and I can only say one thing: he is hardworking and dedicated.)

“Ngayon, kung anong position tatakbuhan niya ho eh hindi ko ho magkokomento dahil siya lang ho ang makakasagot niyan,” he added.

(Now, whatever position he plans to run for in the elections, I can no longer comment since he’s the only one who can answer that.)

Reached for a reaction, Go thanked Gatchalian for his trust but reiterated he was not running for president.

“Nakiusap na po ako [Please]…count me out,” he said.

“Ayokong sayangin ang oras ko sa usaping politika dahil hindi naman ako politiko,” he added.

(I don’t want to waste my time talking about politics because I am not a politician.)

In a Pulse Asia survey released in December 2020, Go was among those named as possible contenders for the 2022 presidential race.

Duterte himself disclosed that the senator, who was his long-time aide, wants to be president.

This remark from Duterte, however, was dismissed by Go as a mere joke.

In February, Go had also said he had no presidential ambition. However, it was the same case in 2018 when Duterte also teased him about having aspirations to be a senator, which Go vehemently denied at the time.

“Please count me out sa usaping pulitika sa 2022,” Go had said.

He ended up running for the Senate and even winning a senatorial seat.

JPV