Senator Bong Go said former President and now House Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo encouraged former President Rodrigo Duterte to become active in politics again.
The senator announced this after he posted on Facebook photos from the “informal” meeting this weekend between Arroyo, Duterte, former Senate President Vicente Sotto III, and former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
“Isang simpleng kamustahan at masayang pagkikita ang nangyari kasama ang mga pinunong naglingkod sa bayan sa iba’t ibang posisyon o kapasidad noong mga nakaraang administrasyon. Nagbalik-tanaw sila sa mga panahong nagkasama sila sa gobyerno,” captioned Go.
“Sa nasabing pagkikita, kinukumbinsi din ni dating pangulong Arroyo si dating pangulong Duterte na maging aktibo muli sa pulitika,” the senator added.
According to Go, Arroyo invited Duterte to an “informal” meeting through one of her staff.
Duterte is said to be in Manila.
“Inanyayahan ni dating pangulong Gloria Arroyo, sa pamamagitan ng kanilang mga staff, sa isang impormal na pagkikita si dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na nasa Maynila noong panahong iyon. Nagkataong magkasama kami ni Tatay Digong noon matapos ko siyang samahan sa kanyang medical checkup sa hospital, gaya ng dati kong ginagawa sa kanya,” said Go.
“[D]ahil bihira lang naman na pumunta sa Maynila sa ngayon si dating pangulong Duterte, sumabay na rin sa pagkikitang iyon, sa tulong ni dating executive secretary Salvador Medialdea, si dating Senate president Tito Sotto na gusto ring makamusta ng personal ang kanyang itinuturing na kaibigan na si Tatay Digong,” he explained.
Rep. Gloria Arroyo urges Duterte to re-enter politics
Aside from Duterte and Sotto, Arroyo met former Vice President Leni Robredo at another gathering.
In Arroyo’s statement, she said that she and Robredo had a “social dinner” with their mutual friends from Bicol.
“We chatted about Bicol politics,” said the former president.
In 2020, then-President Rodrigo Duterte chose former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as his adviser on Clark’s flagship programs and projects.
Arroyo served as the president from January 2001 to June 2010. She then won three consecutive terms as congresswoman of Pampanga‘s second district and Speaker from 2018 to 2019.
In December 2002, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said she would not run for President in the 2004 elections. However, she changed her mind and won but got tagged in the Hello Garci controversy.
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