President Rodrigo Duterte in his public address. Screengrab from RTVM / Palace video
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte simply wants the voting public to “carefully discern” their choice for the presidency next year.
The PDP-Laban wing led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi had this to say Friday after the President accused an unnamed presidential candidate of being a cocaine user.
“President Duterte’s point is simple. He wants the voters to carefully discern their choice of the country’s next leader,” the Cusi-led PDP-Laban wing, which is chaired by Duterte, said in a statement.
“That person should be able to guarantee continuity of the Administration’s programs, not just by mere lip service, but by concrete actions,” the party added.
On Thursday night, the President said a presidential aspirant in the 2022 elections is doing illegal drugs.
While he did not give the person’s name, Duterte hinted that the aspirant comes from a well-known and rich family.