Who am I going to be in 2022? Palace says Duterte will listen to all suggestions

Crowdsourcing President Rodrigo Duterte: All suggestions for the future of my political career in 2022 are welcome. Screengrab from RTVM video

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte welcomes all “well-meaning” remarks and suggestions as he is still in the process of deciding on plans for the 2022 national elections, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte is open to all remarks, including his former running mate Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano’s statement that it would be better for the President to be an “elder statesman” than run for vice president.

Cayetano said Duterte’s “legacy” might be affected if he decided to run for the second-highest government post in the 2022 polls.

“I’m sure the President will listen to all of these well-meaning remarks, particularly coming po kay dating speaker Cayetano na naging running mate niya noong 2016,” Roque said in a press briefing.

(I’m sure the President will listen to all of these well-meaning remarks, particularly coming from former Speaker Cayetano, who was the President’s running mate in 2016.)

“Wala pa naman pong decision kasi si Presidente Duterte. So lahat po ng gusto magmungkahi, magbigay ng suhestyon, welcome naman po sila  dahil nasa proseso pa lang ng pagdedesisyon ang ating Presidente” he added.

(President Duterte has yet to decide, so everyone who has a suggestion is welcome because the President is still deciding.)

Duterte’s party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) has formally pushed him to run as vice president in the 2022 national elections.

abc