President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated that he would not support a presidential candidate in Election 2022.
However, in Talk to the People on Tuesday, the president reiterated his support for his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, who is running for vice president.
“I’m just announcing wala akong kandidato sino man sa pagka-presidente. I remain neutral. Ang akin kasi eh presidente ako tapos magkampi ako ng isa. Magdududa yung [iba na] ginagamit ko yung resources ng gobyerno, magulo na,” explanation of the president.
(I’m just announcing I don’t have any candidate for the presidency. I remain neutral. Because I’m the president, and then I sided with one. The [others] will doubt that I am using government resources. It is already chaotic.)
“Kaya nga wala kaming kandidato except of course my daughter. So I have to mention her because she is my daughter ano man ang dynamics namin sa mga party nila, anak ko yan eh so yun,” he added.
(So we have no candidate except, of course, my daughter. So I have to mention her because she is my daughter no matter what our dynamics are at their parties, that’s my daughter.)
Duterte remains neutral in endorsing presidential bet
President Duterte also admitted that he supports senatorial candidates but did not mention who they are.
“Ang isa pati yung mga senador na gusto ko sana ilagay diyan but I am not mentioning any names I’m just trying to avoid politicking baka masabit tayo sa Comelec (Commission on Elections),” Duterte said.
(One of the senators that I would have liked to put there, but I am not mentioning any names; I’m just trying to avoid politicking lest we get caught in the Comelec.)
Mayor Sara had earlier said she hoped they would get her presidential bet, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the support of her father.
However, the mayor said he would respect whatever his father’s decision if he did not endorse the candidate.
BBM and Sara Duterte are still undefeated in the March 2022 Pulse Asia survey for the presidential and vice-presidential race.
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