Will Sara Duterte be a substitute candidate? ‘Everything is possible,’ says Bato

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa files his COC for president. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Will presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte replace Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa as standard bearer of the PDP-Laban?

For Dela Rosa, everything is possible.

“Hindi tayo magsasabi ng patapos. Everything is possible. Basta legal ang paraan, hindi naman siguro dapat i-question ‘yan, kung legal ang paraan na yan na pagsubstitute. Anything can happen,” he said in an interview with DWIZ when asked about speculations that Duterte-Carpio may replace him as the presidential candidate of the PDP-Laban before the deadline of substitution of candidates on November 15.

(I will not say anything final. Everything is possible. As long as the process of substitution is legal, I think it should not be questioned. Anything can happen.)

However, he said this depends on whether Duterte-Carpio would later accept PDP-Laban’s offer for her to run for president, and if the ruling party would want to field her as its candidate instead of Dela Rosa.

Dela Rosa also stressed that filing a certificate of candidacy (COC) is a serious matter but added that he is willing to give way to the presidential daughter if she decides to run for the highest elective post.

“Baka sabihin nila na itong ating pag-file ng COC ay biro-biro lang ito. Hindi po ito biro. Seryoso po itong bagay [They may say my filing of a COC is a joke. This is not a joke. This is a serious matter],” he said.

“As I have said, mahirap man magkunwari pero we are still awaiting the final decision. Kung talagang gustong tumakbo si Inday Sara, I am open, I am willing to give [way] to her,” Dela Rosa added.

(As I have said, it is hard to pretend but we are still awaiting the final decision. If Inday Sara wants to run for president, I am open and willing to give way to her.)

Dela Rosa said he is willing to heed the decision of the PDP-Laban on his presidential bid.

“Kung gusto niyang (Sara Duterte) sumanib sa aming partido, nandito lang ako, I am open palagi. Pero kung sakaling hindi naman talaga, whatever, kung sabihin ng partido na tuloy ka, ‘yun na. As I have said, I am a good soldier. Sunod lang tayo, at ito namang ginagawa natin hindi naman ito para sa atin kundi para sa bayan natin ito,” the senator went on.

(If Sara Duterte wants to join our party, I am just here and open to changes. But if she doesn’t and the party says I should continue my presidential candidacy, then that’s it. As I have said, I am a good soldier. I will just follow. What I am doing is not for myself but for the country.)

He said Duterte-Carpio does things according to what she has already decided, based on her knowledge of the Davao City mayor.

Duterte-Carpio earlier said she wants to finish her third term as mayor of Davao City instead of running for president.

Dela Rosa said he hopes the presidential mayor will change her mind.

“Ibang usapan na ito. Bansa na ang nakasalalay dito eh, kinabukasan ng ating bansa. Sana, sana magbago pa ang isip nya. Kahit na siguro gaano ka ka-decided on one thing, pag marealize mo na kinabukasan ng bansa ito at kagustuhan ng karamihan ng Pilipino ay baka magbago pa ang isip. I am not preempting her decision pero sana, I hope and pray na magbabago pa,” the senator said.

(This is a serious matter. The country is at stake here. I hope she will change her mind. Even if you are decided on one thing, you may change your mind if you realize that the future of the country is at stake and this is what the Filipinos want. I am not preempting her decision, but I hope and pray that she will change her mind.)

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa also said he is “open for all possible changes” if PDP-Laban decides to swap his and the candidacy of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go for president and vice president. Go earlier filed his COC for vice president under the party.

According to Dela Rosa, he only received a call from officials of their party instructing him to file a COC for president at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, the last day of COC filing. He said he earlier heard that the PDP-Laban was considering him, Go, and Senator Francis Tolentino as standard bearer for next year’s elections, and that he was chosen because he can continue the legacy of President Rodrigo Duterte.

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JPV