There’s a glimmer of hope Duterte will run—Cayetano

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. FILE PHOTOS

DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who is seeking election as Vice President, met anew on Friday, further fanning speculation that the feisty mayor may yet run for President as a substitute candidate of the PDP-Laban party.

Duterte and Cayetano were later seen having dinner with some friends at the Hotel Elena here in the evening and were also seen together at the wake of the brother of Pastor Apolo Quiboloy at a local funeral home.

The duo were seen at the funeral home surrounded by people who begged them to run together in 2016.

Cayetano said he remained optimistic that Duterte would change his mind.

Duterte filed a certificate of candidacy for reelection as city mayor. But PDP-Laban presidential bet Martin Diño has said substituting Duterte as standard-bearer was one scenario being discussed.

“As long as the clamor remains, there’s still a glimmer of hope that Mayor Duterte will run,” Cayetano said.

At the taping of Duterte’s television program, “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa,” which airs on Sunday on the local ABS-CBN station, Duterte invited Cayetano as a guest and the two of them discussed federalism, which the mayor has been pushing as a suitable form of government for the Philippines.

They also talked about ways to address rising criminality and the worsening peace and order situation in the country.

But sources said at the sidelines of the taping that Duterte and Cayetano also talked about what they could do together if and when Duterte chooses to run for President in 2016.

While Duterte was not categorical about a presidential run via substitution, he has recently said he might change his mind and run in 2016 as a substitute candidate.

But he clarified that this possibility depended on the decision of PDP-Laban and that the party has until Dec. 10 to make the decision.

“It is solely a prerogative of the party … as a party member, I will listen and maybe decide accordingly on what is really good for me or for PDP-Laban,” Duterte said.

He said he would submit to the leadership of PDP-Laban but they had to listen also to what he had to say and “I will listen to them.”

“That’s a possibility, I will submit myself to whatever decision the party will make,” Duterte said.

He said that if discussions went right, then the substitution could take place.

“Maybe me, maybe another person or member,” he said, adding that he has no ambition to become President.

But Duterte added that he would “consider what is best for the party.”

For Cayetano: “There is only one person who can dramatically change the country [and] he is Mayor Duterte.”

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