President Rodrigo Duterte and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III (FILE Photo from the Presidential Communications Operations Office)
“I have no plans to resign.”
This was the categorical clarification of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Friday amid speculations that he would leave his post for a possible Senate run in 2019.
“Kasi sinasabi kasi nila na tatakbo raw ako. Sa tototo lang, madalas ako sabihan ng Presidente na tumakbo ka. Siyempre napakalaking karangalan ‘yun na sabihan ka ng Presidente na dapat maging senador ka,” he said in an interview over Radyo Inquirer 990AM.
However, Bello, who will turn 74 this year, told President Rodrigo Duterte he was older than him and “too old” for politics.
“Sabi ko sa Presidente, ‘Boss, matanda pa ako sa ‘yo,'” he said.
“Wala na. I’m too old for the election campaign,” he also said.
Earlier, Duterte had teased Bello to run as senator in the 2019 elections.
“He will run for a senatorial position. He’s a good guy. He’s my dorm mate. We’re just poor,” Mr. Duterte said.
READ: Duterte floats ‘Senator Bello’ anew
But Bello had also dismissed the President’s remarks as mere joke. /kga