Duterte ready to resign if Escudero, Marcos to lead

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte shares a light moment with the guests during the Joint 68th National Security Council and 69th National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Founding Anniversary Celebration at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on July 31, 2018. KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

The President will only step down from his Chief Executive post if someone “like” Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero or former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will be his successor.

This was according to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the dinner with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) on Tuesday, August 14.

This followed after his speech prior to the dinner in which he said he has “had enough” and was ready to resign from his Presidency.

“What is inside me is not really anger kasi wala ka talagang magawa eh (because I really cannot do anything anymore). It’s the frustration that I cannot comply with my promise number one– corruption,” he said in the speech.

While this was the case, Duterte said in his honest opinion, Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo is not good for succession.

“I think deep in my heart… if you follow the succession and Robredo takes over, hindi niya kaya (she cannot handle it)… that’s my honest opinion ko lang. Kung sino lang sana d’yan (Hopefully it is someone) in the likes of Escudero or Bongbong Marcos,” Duterte said.

He, however, clarified that he has nothing against the Vice President.

“Panalo na ako. Hindi ako nakikipag-away ng babae. Hindi nga ako sumasagot kung ano ang sinasabi nila (I already won. I do not fight with women. I am not even answering whatever they are saying),” the President added.

This was not the first time for Duterte criticize Robredo’s capabilities with respect to the possibility of her being the president of the country.

Earlier in July, the President fired at Robredo for being ‘incompetent’ to lead the Philippines.

“I don’t think she will be ready to govern a country. Reason? Incompetence. She is not capable of running a country like the Philippines,” the President told reporters in Clark, Pampanga then.

Robredo’s response to the President’s criticism came as, “Ayoko na sana i-dignify pero siguro sabihin ko na lang na imbes na insultuhin ako o ang Diyos, asikasuhin na lang muna ang mga problema ng ating ekonomiya (I did not really want to dignify him but let us just say that instead of insulting me or God, he should fix the problem in our economy.”