Duterte won’t run for VP if Sara joins prexy race

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte would drop his intent to run for vice president in 2022 if his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, seeks the presidency, Malacañang said Wednesday.

Duterte made the pronouncement during his pre-recorded Talk to the People delivered Tuesday night, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas.

The President’s latest statement, however, was edited out.

Roque said he was not sure why the portion of Duterte’s speech during his taped Talk to the People was removed.

He, however, confirmed that Duterte said he and Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go would not join the 2022 vice presidential and presidential derbies, respectively, if Sara announces her presidential bid.

Duterte, as quoted by Roque, said, “Should Sara decide to run, Bong Go is out. For my part, dahil delicadeza, hindi po puwede dalawa kami diyan. If she runs, out na rin ako (out of delicadeza, I’m out if she runs because we can’t both join [the elections]).”

Also on Tuesday night, Duterte announced that he would be running for vice president next year to continue his administration’s relentless fight against illegal drugs, criminality, and insurgency.

His announcement came on the day Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) executive vice president, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, confirmed that Duterte accepted his nomination as the ruling party’s vice presidential candidate.

In an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source on Wednesday, Nograles expressed hope that Duterte would not change his mind about his plan to gun for the vice presidency.

“We hope na hindi na siya umatras (We hope he would not back out). Right now, siguro (perhaps), there’s always a possibility, but because he already said so nung (on) Monday and again repeated kagabi (last night), Tuesday that he will run for VP, then I think mas assured na kami na tutuloy na siya pagka-vice president (we are more assured that he would push through with his plan to run for vice president),” he said.

Nograles said the PDP-Laban is ready to make the formal announcement on Duterte’s vice presidential bid during the party’s national assembly in Bulacan on September 8.

“Everything is set as far as PDP-Laban is concerned,” he said.

Go has yet to accept his endorsement as PDP-Laban’s presidential candidate in the 2022 national elections.

Nograles said the PDP-Laban wanted Go as its standard-bearer because it believes the lawmaker is “most qualified to lead the country as our next president.”

“We believe in his abilities and capabilities. We believe he will be the best tandem for President Duterte when President Duterte is elected as vice president,” he said.