Palace: Duterte knows VP bid doesn’t violate Constitution but will listen to public opinion

FILE Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte still believes that his supposed plan to run for vice president in the 2022 national elections will not violate the Constitution, however, he is open to listen to the public’s opinion, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said this in response to the results of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing that the majority of Filipinos believe Duterte’s vice presidential candidacy “violates the intention of the Constitution.” 

“Abogado rin naman ang Presidente. Sa tingin niya, hindi ‘yan labag sa Saligang Batas kasi walang express prohibition and therefore it is allowed,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.

(The President is also a lawyer. He sees that this doesn’t violate the Constitution because no express prohibition and therefore it is allowed.)

“Sensitibo ang Presidente sa pulso ng taumbayan, hintayin na lang natin ang kanyang pinal na desisyon,” Roque added.

(The President is sensitive to the pulse of the public. Let’s wait for his final decision.)

In the SWS survey, respondents were asked whether they believe the proposed Duterte’s candidacy for vice president in the 2022 elections “violates the intention of the Constitution, which should first be amended before he may run for office again,” or that he should run “because they would like his management of the government to continue.”

It found that 60% of Filipinos said that Duterte’s vice presidential candidacy “violates the intention of the Constitution,” while only 39% wanted him to run.

Meanwhile, the remaining 1 percent did not give an answer.

President Duterte has accepted the nomination of a faction of PDP-Laban to run for vice president. He has already signed the party’s certificate of nomination and acceptance.

The PDP-Laban, however, is still convincing Senator Bong Go to be Duterte’s running mate.

Roque said nothing is final yet until the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC).

“Anything is possible unless and until the COC is filed,” he said.

The filing of certificates of candidacy is set on Oct. 1 to 8.

JPV