President Duterte: “I would like to bide my time, I’m not in a hurry.”
PRESIDENT DUTERTE — The Philippine President said that he’s still unsure whether or not he will support a presidential candidate.
With less than 3 months left to go before the May 2022 elections, the President said that he preferred to stay neutral in the presidential race.
The President said in a special episode of the “Cabinet Report” aired last February 25 that he preferred to stay “neutral” on whom he would like to be his successor in Malacañang.
“I may or I may not [endorse a candidate] but preferably I’d like to stay neutral. Ibig sabihin wala akong susuportahan na kandidato unless again having said it, I’ll say it again, there’ll be a compelling reason for me to go out and tell the people what it is,” the President told Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) chief Martin Andanar. “I would like to bide my time, I’m not in a hurry.”
The President, however, said that he might be forced to show his support for a presidential candidate if the interest of the people is at stake.
President Duterte was also asked to clarify his position to be neutral even as his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, was supporting the presidential bid of her running mate, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“I have talked to my daughter Inday only once since months ago,” the President said. “We do not talk about politics either inside the — except for once. Pero ayaw ko na lang i-discuss kasi hindi kasi maganda. It was between father and daughter. But it was also a conversation about politics pero sa amin na ‘yun.“
READ ALSO: Malacañang Says President Duterte Still Not Endorsing Any Presidential Candidate
The President recently said that all presidential candidates are qualified, but he’s on edge about the ideology of some unnamed presidential bets because they’re leaning toward the communist rebels.
President Duterte earlier endorsed the presidential bid of his long-time aide, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, but the latter withdrew from the presidential race. The President also earlier withdrew his certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator in the 2022 elections.
According to President Duterte, he prohibited his cabinet members from campaigning, except Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who is the president of the PDP-Laban Cusi faction.
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