Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — “Unless something happens” between now and November 15, Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Bong Go will be the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the PDP-Laban party.
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said this Tuesday as exchanges remain possible on or before November 15, the deadline set by the Commission on Elections for candidate substitutions.
“Sa ngayon si Bato ang aming pambato, siya ang pambato namin, siya ‘yong aming kandidato sa pagkapangulo. So unless that something happens between now and the 15th, siya po ang aming kandidato for the 2022,” the Department of Energy chief said.
(For now, Bato is our bet, he is our nominee, he is our candidate for president. So unless something happens between now and the 15th, he is our candidate for the 2022 elections.)
“So it is Ba-Go, Bato-Go,” he added.
Rumors of dela Rosa possibly stepping back from his presidential candidacy were fanned further after he met with President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, on Monday.
Supporters of Duterte-Carpio have been urging her to run for president next year but she did not file her certificate of candidacy (COC) for president as she sought reelection in Davao City.
When dela Rosa lodged his COC for president on the last day of filing, he candidly presented a scenario where Duterte-Carpio substitutes for him. He even thought that would be better.
READ: What if Sara Duterte substitutes for dela Rosa? ‘Mas maganda,’ Bato says
According to Cusi, dela Rosa only met with Duterte-Carpio for a courtesy call, as the senator was on his way to Digos City, capital of Davao del Sur province south of Davao City.
“I believe that Senator Bato went to Digos yesterday, and on his way, he made a courtesy call to Mayor Inday in his private capacity, at ‘yon po ay nire-respeto natin kung ano mang pribadong bagay ang napag-usapan nila. Pero wala po tungkol sa PDP o sa pagtakbo sa 2022,” the leader of the PDP-Laban faction said.
(I believe that Senator Bato went to Digos yesterday, and on his way, he made a courtesy call to Mayor Inday in his private capacity, and we respect whatever private talks they had. But it had nothing to do with PDP or running for 2022.)
“Natanong siguro ni Senator Bato kung tutuloy siya. And kung tutuloy siya, she has until November 15. Kung hindi naman, we’ll eh sabi ko nga ire-respeto namin ‘yong desisyon na ‘yon,” he added.
(Maybe Senator Bato asked her if she would continue. And if she would vie for a national post, she has until November 15. If not, well as we have said we’ll respect her decision.)
On whether the dela Rosa-Go tandem is final, Cusi explained they would stick with the plan – except when their “plan one” becomes feasible, that is to make Go run for president and President Duterte for vice president,
“Well kung magbabago ang isip ni Pangulong Duterte then we will go back to our plan one, the original plan namin and that will be Bong Go-Duterte. Liwanagin ko lang ah, ‘yon ay in the premise na magbabago ang isipan ni Pangulo, pero nagsabi kasi siya sa ngayon, ayaw niya,” he said.
(Well if President Duterte changes his mind, then we will go back to our plan one, our original plan and that will be Bong Go-Duterte. I will make this clear, that is in the premise that the President will change his mind, but he alreayd said that for now, he does not want to run for vice president.)
Regarding dela Rosa’s chances, Cusi said the former national police chief is gaining mileage even before the official campaign season starts.
“Sa atin ngayon (At this point), Bato may not be rating as high as the others, but we must understand that he came in late, we made that announcement only on the last day of the filing, pero (but) I believe that he is getting mileage, he is getting traction, and hindi pa po talaga tayo nagtutulak, hindi pa po talaga tayo nagka-kampanya (we are yet to really push, yet to really campaign),” Cusi said.
“Pero (But) based on our studies, based on the surveys that we are seeing, maganda po ang hinaharap ng pagtakbo ni (the future is looking good for the presidential bid of) Senator Bato,” he added.
Earlier, Cusi signed an agreement with Reform Party president and former Magdalo member Col. James Layug for an alliance in the 2022 national elections. However, Reform Party only endorsed the candidacy of Go and three other senatorial candidates — Secretaries Gregorio Honasan, Mark Villar, and Greco Belgica.
As to why they have not thrown their support to dela Rosa’s candidacy for president, Cusi noted that they will still talk it over.