Duterte, uncertain on 2016 run, sought for endorsement

DAVAO CITY—While his presidential run is uncertain, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte appears to be one of the most sought-after endorsers of senatorial candidates.

Of the most recent endorsements he gave was for the senatorial bid of Francis Tolentino, former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair, who went to Davao to have his photo taken with Duterte raising his hand.

“I have known Francis for a long time,” Duterte said in his local TV program, confirming his endorsement of Tolentino. “I do not have to compare him with anybody,” said Duterte of the former MMDA chief.

Ople endorsement

On Oct. 23, Duterte also endorsed the senatorial bid of labor and OFW advocate Susan Ople.

Duterte said he was well aware of Ople’s advocacy, particularly against human trafficking.

Ople received the Trafficking in Persons Hero Award from US State Secretary John Kerry in 2013.

She also received the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Alumni Achievement Award in 2010 for her work in rescuing victims of human trafficking from Syria.

Her nonprofit organization, the Blas F. Ople Policy Center, works closely with the Inter-Agency

Council Against Trafficking and other government agencies to address cases of human trafficking involving overseas Filipinos.

“The mayor and I share a common cause—the fight against human trafficking. He was very emphatic in saying that no overseas Filipino worker should end up as a modern slave on foreign soil,” Ople said of Duterte in a statement.

Duterte has also endorsed the senatorial bids of Serge Osmeña, Panfilo Lacson, Manny Pacquiao, Martin Romualdez and Samuel Pagdilao.