Former President Fidel Ramos. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/ ROGER TINGLE
FORMER President Fidel Ramos has turned out to be a driving force behind the candidacy of Rodrigo Duterte for the presidency.
Mr. Duterte repeatedly mentioned Ramos’ role in convincing him to run during his speeches before the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Friday.
READ: Duterte sought Ramos’ advice on 2016 presidential run—source
According to him, Ramos was the first person to fly to Davao City to ask him to run for president.
They met for about three hours at the Marco Polo Hotel, and Ramos told him: “It is time that Mindanao will have a president.”
“And despite my own misgivings about money, machinery and everything, I prevailed because of his inspiration. Thank you, Mr. President,” he said.
Mr. Duterte also said he was taking his cue from Ramos in his anticrime drive.
He said he has his orders from the former president, which was to “do what is good for the country.”
“And he is the No. 1 policeman thereabout now,” he said.
He later joked that since he was following the orders of Ramos, the police should blame the former president, not him.
In Mr. Duterte’s inaugural address on June 30, Ramos was also the first one he mentioned.
“President Fidel Ramos, sir, thank you for your help in making me president,” he said, in the first sentence of his speech.
READ: Duterte tells FVR: Thank you for making me President
During the campaign, Ramos had posed for a picture with Duterte where he raised the then Davao City mayor’s hand.
But it was not clear then if Ramos formally endorsed Duterte for the presidency.
Ramos had also met with presidential candidate Grace Poe and posed for a picture with her while giving his signature thumbs up pose.
Poe sought his advice on various issues during the meeting, but did not get his endorsement. TVJ
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