Photo courtesy of Sen. Bong Go
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Bong Go on Friday said that he will only join the presidential race in 2022 if President Rodrigo Duterte will be his running mate.
Go made the comment following the move of PDP-Laban’s national executive council to endorse the Go-Duterte tandem for the 2022 elections.
“As I have said many times before, I leave my fate to God, to the Dutertes (kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at Mayor Sara Duterte)—kung ano man po ang kanilang magiging desisyon sa pulitika—and to the Filipino people to whom I owe this opportunity to serve our country,” Go, Duterte’s long-time aide, said in a statement.
(As I have said many times before, I leave my fate to God, to the Dutertes (to Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at Mayor Sara Duterte)—whatever their political plans may be—and to the Filipino people whom I owe this opportunity to serve our country.)
“Ang makapagbabago lang ng aking desisyon na tumakbo bilang Presidente ay kung si Tatay Digong ang aking magiging Bise Presidente. Dahil alam ko na yun ang magiging totoong ‘continuity,’” he added.
(The only thing that will make me change my mind about running for president is if Tatay Digon is my vice president. Because I know that will be the real ‘continuity.’)
The national executive council of PDP-Laban endorsed through a resolution the tandem of Go and Duterte for 2022, a pair that was the “popular” and “logical” choice for the party, according to PDP-Laban Secretary General Melvin Matibag.
Matibag, a member of the council, is still subject to a vote during the party’s national convention on September 8.
Go thanked PDP-Laban for supporting him, but reiterated that he is not interested in talking about politics now amid the pandemic.
“When the right time comes, consider me last. Kung ano na lang po yung tira, yun na lang ang akin. Dahil para sa akin, only destiny can tell,” he also said.
(When the right time comes, consider me last. Whatever position is available, then that’s the one for me. Becaise for me, only destiny can tell.)