Duterte not keen to endorse pres’l candidate

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said he is not bent on endorsing any presidential candidate for the May 9, 2022 elections.

During the joint meeting of the National Task Force (NTF) and Regional Task Force (RTF) to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) in Lapu-Lapu City, Duterte maintained that he remains “neutral” and has no plan to campaign for any presidential candidate.

“Let me reiterate, nandito man ang media (since the media is here), I am not supporting any presidential candidate. Neutral ako,” Duterte said.

Duterte issued the statement following his recent meeting with presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The meeting prompted Duterte’s ruling party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), to endorse Marcos’ presidential bid.

Duterte was also scheduled to attend the PDP-Laban’s campaign rally in Lapu-Lapu City after the event organized by the NTF and RTF ELCAC.

He clarified that he would not make any announcement of his preferred successor at the PDP-Laban’s campaign sortie.

“So, this is not a campaign because I am not campaigning for any particular candidate. So, stop with me kasi ano ito, hindi ito pulitika (because this is not about politics),” Duterte said.

The PDP-Laban, in a resolution adopted on March 21, formally endorsed the candidacy of Marcos, saying he is the “candidate whose vision of governance is most aligned with [the party’s] 11-point agenda.”

Duterte earlier said the country’s next leader should be “compassionate and decisive” and someone who is a “lawyer.”

Of the 10 presidential aspirants, only Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo and Dr. Jose Montemayor are lawyers.

Won’t follow poll body’s rules

Meanwhile, Duterte slammed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) over its guidelines on election campaign activities.

Duterte did not mention the particular Comelec election rules that he is opposed to but made a firm stance that he would “not follow” the poll body.

“Kayong Comelec (To Comelec), do not… Huwag mong pakialaman itong trabaho ko (Do not interfere with my job),” he said. “Gawain lang ninyo ang trabaho ninyo. Gagawain ko ang trabaho namin (Just do your job and I will do mine). I do not cease to function effectively just because there is an election and there is a ban. Of course, that’s crazy. I will not follow you. Ako (Me), I do not believe in you.”

Duterte added that the Comelec could not stop Filipino voters, including those who are working in government, to exercise their “basic right of freedom of expression.”

“You know, whatever the Commission on Elections would really… Tayo abogado, marami dito abogado (we are lawyers, many of you are lawyers), you cannot prevent a Filipino the basic right of freedom of expression. Hindi mo talaga ma-ano iyan. Even yung magsabi na kami mga taga-gobyerno (You cannot do that, even the government workers),” he said.

The Comelec has relaxed its guidelines on in-person campaigning, following the easing of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) protocols.

However, handshaking, as well as kissing and taking of selfies, are still prohibited during the campaign sorties.