MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte affirmed on Tuesday his intent to run for vice president in 2022.
“You really want it? Okay, I will run for vice president. Then I will continue the crusade,” Duterte said, speaking part in Filipino, in his weekly taped briefing.
The president then expressed concern about the continuing problem of illegal drugs and the communist insurgency.
“I’m worried about the drugs, insurgency. Number one is insurgency, then criminality, drugs,” Duterte said.
“I may not have the power to give the direction or guidance, but I can always express my views in public for whatever it may be worth in the coming days. It’s up to Filipinos. I’m just here. I’ll say something [about it],” he went on.
The PDP-Laban, which Duterte chairs, earlier bared that the president had accepted its endorsement for him to run for the second-highest government post.