Duterte on DQ fears: ‘I won’t die if I don’t become president’

Presidential aspirant and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday was nonchalant when asked about the disqualification case filed against him and the possibility that he may not be able to replace his party-mate as the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan standard-bearer.

In an interview with reporters, Duterte said that it is a non-issue to him whether the Commission on Elections (Comelec) disqualifies or bars him from substituting for Martin Diño.

“Mas maganda kung hindi (ako magsa-substitute.). Pero mas maganda kung puwede. Kung i-di-DQ (disqualify) ako, mas mabuti (para) walang trabaho,” Duterte said.

(It would be good if I won’t have to substitute. But it would be better if I could. If I were to be disqualified, better, still, so there won’t be work to do.)

READ: Can Duterte sub for Diño? It’s up to Comelec

The tough-talking mayor, who went to the Comelec national office to “reaffirm” his presidential bid, said that not becoming the next president of the country will not be the death of him.

“I won’t lose sleep if I don’t become the president. Sinasabi ko sainyo, hindi ako mamamatay kapag hindi ako naging presidente. Para sa akin, pareho lang ‘yan,” he said.

(I won’t die if I don’t become president. For me, it’s all the same.)

Duterte went to the Comelec national office on Tuesday with the intention to refile his certificate of candidacy (COC) for president. However, he was told by the Comelec legal department that the first COC he filed through a representative was already valid.

READ: It’s official: Duterte seals presidential bid, personally files COC | Duterte makes presidential bid official, files COC

The mayor told the media that there were no defects in his COC.

Duterte is facing a disqualification case, which was filed by broadcaster Ruben Castor, over the claim that Diño’s COC is “void, legally inexistent, and without legal effect.”

READ: DQ case raised as Duterte files COC in Comelec

Diño named Duterte as his substitute after the former withdrew his candidacy last October.

Duterte has since then been anointed as the presidential candidate of PDP-Laban and has chosen Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as his running mate.

The Comelec is yet to rule on whether it will permit Duterte to substitute Diño. CDG