MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has already named his options on who to endorse as next top leader of the country, which includes his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, his longtime aide and now Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, Senator Manny Pacquiao, Manila City Mayor Franciso “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, and ex-senator Bongbong Marcos, Malacañang said Thursday.
“Noong kinausap ko siya diyan, wala pa siyang desisyon, mayroon lang siya talagang mga options na sinabi,” said presidential spokesperson Harry Roque during a Palace briefing when asked who Duterte wants to succeed him as his term ends on June 30 next year.
(When I talked to him about it, he did not have a decision yet but he already mentioned some of his options.)
However, Roque also said that based on his latest conversation with the President, which was on Monday, Duterte does not want his daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio to run for president in the 2022 polls.
“Ang rekomendasyon niya [President Duterte] ay ‘wag tumakbo. That’s the latest I heard from the President’s own mouth,” he said.
For now, Roque said the President is still focused on addressing the pandemic in the country, especially in the efforts to vaccinate a majority of the population.
“Ang importante naman ay mabakunahan ang pinakamarami nating mga kababayan, nang sa ganoon ay magkaroon tayo ng eleksyon kung saan ay ‘yung mga tao at mga kandidato ay magkakaroon ng pagkakataon ng magkakaroon ng panayam at makaboto ng pinakamabuting mga kandidato,” he said.