MALACANANG claims to know nothing about plans that would see Sara Duterte running for President in time for next year’s presidential election, with his dad as her running mate.
Asked by reporters over reports that see the administration party brewing a daughter-and-dad ticket, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said he doesn’t know about that.
“I have no information on that,” Roque said.
“I will consult the President on this. There was an instance when he mentioned that why would he run for Vice President when he already became President, but I don’t know if there has been any change,” he added.
Earlier in the day, members of the PDP-Laban party urged President Rodrigo Duterte to run for vice president in the 2022 elections.
PDP Laban member and concurrent Deputy Speaker Eric Martinez said that a resolution is going around party members asking the President to seek the vice presidency in next year’s elections.
“Yes, there is such a resolution that’s been going around PDP members. It’s going around the country now as PDP members are being consulted,” said Martinez, who cited the need for continuity of policy that Duterte has started in his current term as the country’s chief executive.
“We feel continuity is the sentiment on this PDP reso and the President, with the highest approval rating ever seen in an incumbent President, holds the key to future decisions of the party,” he said.
Sought to elaborate as to the extent of the call, Martinez said that PDP members from the National Capital Region have in fact adopted the resolution.
Sought to comment on chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo’s statement that hinted at Duterte running for vice president as the running mate of his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, Roque reiterated that the President is planning to go back to his hometown of Davao City when he leaves Malacañang after his term ends.
“Iyong Duterte-Duterte tandem po na sinasabi ni Secretary Panelo, iyan po ay kanyang personal na opinyon,” he said.