President Rodrigo Duterte in one of his public addresses. Image from PCOO
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he is “seriously considering” running for the vice presidency in the 2022 national elections but he is being held back by the idea of having a President who is not his “friend.”
“Medyo I’m sold with the idea. Meaning to say, I am seriously thinking of running for vice president,” Duterte told members of his party, PDP-Laban, in a taped meeting.
“But let me dwell into the reality of things, if I run for Vice President, tapos ang presidenteng na-elect, hindi ko kaibigan, the situation would arise na sabi ko, I would remain an inutile thing there,” he added.
(But let me dwell into the reality of things if I run for Vice President, and the President who will win is not a friend of mine, I would remain an inutile thing there.)
“Kasi pag wala kang ano sa President, walang suporta, wala ka talaga. Ito ang dilemma ko, the President that will win must be a friend of mine, to whom I can work with,” he added.
(Because if you don’t have support from the President, you are nothing. This is my dilemma, the President that will win must be a friend of mine, with whom I can work.)
Last week, Duterte already said he can be considered a serious candidate for the position at this time “to maintain equilibrium.”
The two-hour meeting of PDP-Laban, aired entirely on government-run PTV 4, whose airtime is paid for by taxpayer’s money, was held seemingly to convince Duterte to run for vice president in the 2022 elections.
During the course of the meeting, party members took turns to butter up the President and tell him he needs to gun for the second-highest post in the country for “continuity.”
Among those present in the meeting is PDP-Laban vice chairman and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who presented to Duterte petitions for the President to vie for the vice presidency, Senators Bato dela Rosa and Francis Tolentino, PDP-Laban executive vice chairman and Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, who said he would want Duterte to extend his term if only possible.
Also present is Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos and San Jose Del Monte City Rep. Rida Robes, who said Duterte is “really the answer for continuity.”