Rodrigo Duterte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA
A political analyst on Friday said he was not convinced that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte would not run for president in the 2016 elections despite a declaration from the mayor himself.
Professor Mon Casiple, in an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990AM, said Duterte’s body language was inconsistent with his statements.
“Si Mayor Duterte bagamat nagsabi na hindi tatakbo, hindi mo matatanggal ‘yung possibility eh. Until the filing of candidacy hindi mo malalaman ‘yan,” Casiple said.
(While Mayor Duterte has said that he will not run, you cannot remove the possibility. Until the filing of candidacy, you will not know for sure.)
“Matagal na kasi niyang sinasabi na hindi siya tatakbo. Ang ginagawa niya, contradictory sa sinasabi niya,” he added.
(He has long been saying that he won’t run. But what he has been doing contradicts his statements.)
Duterte on Monday announced “categorically” that he has no intentions of seeking the top national post in next year’s polls, saying that he will “retire from public life for good” in 2016.
Read: Duterte’s final answer: I won’t run for president in 2016 | Duterte drops out of presidential race
“After talking to my family and everybody else connected to my life, I would like to categorically state now, and also to end the agony of those waiting and for those who believe in me, I’m not running for President. I’m sorry,” Duterte told reporters and supporters during a press conference in Davao City.
Asked if the voting public will not regard Duterte’s supposed inconsistencies negatively, Casiple said the tough-talking mayor’s move was part of his strategy.
“Well, tactic ang tawag diyan eh. Hindi naman diyan nagbabase ng boto ang mga tao,” Casiple said, noting Duterte’s continuous touring of different parts of the country.
(You can call it a tactic, and people don’t base their votes on that.)
Casiple also said Duterte could have dropped out of the presidential race to avoid being the subject of tirades and black propaganda by potential opponents.
“May suspetsa ako itong si Mayor Duterte kaya umatras, ayaw niyang makasuhan. ‘Huwag muna,’ kasi ‘pag naglabas siya ng posisyon sigurado tatargetin siya ng lahat,” he said.
(I suspect that Mayor Duterte withdrew because he does not want to be chard. “Not yet,” at least, because if he comes up with a position, he will surely be a target of everyone.)
Amid public clamor urging him to run for president, Duterte has repeatedly said he was not interested in doing so because of a “flawed government system” and strong opposition from his family.
Duterte ranked third in the last Pulse Asia survey of potential presidential bets, behind Sen. Grace Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay.
“Kung posibilidad lang naman, nandyan lahat ‘yan,” Casiple added. Yuji Vincent Gonzales/IDL
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