FORMER president Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte is hoping to be released from detention in the Netherlands before 2028 so he can support her daughter Vice President Sara Duterte’s potential presidential run.
The Vice President said the former president, who is facing trial by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, has given her his blessing to seek whatever elective post she chooses in the future.
“Sabi niya, ‘kapag sinabi mo sa akin na tatakbo ka,’ sabi niya, ‘ako ‘yung unang tutulong. Sana lang ay nasa labas na ako sa kampanya kasi gusto kong mangampanya’ (He said, ‘if you tell me you’ll run, I’ll be the first to help you. I just hope I will be released in time for the campaign because I want to campaign’),” she said, quoting her father as telling her.
She made the statement during a chat with supporters outside the Scheveningen Prison in The Hague where her father is detained.
“We talked about the 2028 elections. He said that if you want to run, you go ahead and run. He said, I will be the first one to contribute and help you,” she added in Filipino.
The Vice President said she also told her father that no one will vote for a Marcos “ever in the history of the Philippines” after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s victory in 2022 under their UniTeam ticket.
She said the Marcos camp knew that he had no chance against then vice president Leni Robredo in the presidential race so they supposedly decided to ask her to be his running mate.
“They won’t have allies in the next elections. They knew that because when they approached me, they knew they won’t be able to win against the supporters of Leni Robredo at the time in 2022,” she said.
The Vice President said that even if the administration supposedly has the backing of the “yellows” now, Liberal Party members and die-hard Aquino supporters will not vote for a Marcos. She said even the militant Makabayan bloc will not back the administration’s candidate in 2028.
BOXING MATCH
PNP chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III yesterday accepted the challenge of acting Davao City mayor Sebastian Duterte, a known critic of Torre, to a boxing match.
In an ambush interview at Camp Crame, Torre proposed that the match, which he said should be made a charity event, be held at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Sunday.
“Whether he is serious or not, let’s put this on a better use if that is what he wants. That’s timely because many were affected by the tropical cyclone and flooding. Maybe we can use this opportunity to raise funds in a charity boxing,” he said.
“Let’s do it this coming Sunday. I will be there in Araneta. I’ll be there in Araneta. I’ll ask Araneta to set up a boxing ring. Hopefully they will oblige,” said the 55-year-old Torre to 37-year-old Duterte.
If the Araneta Coliseum is not available, “let’s find another gym that he (Duterte) likes”, he said, adding that he is confident that many will sponsor the 12-round fight.
Torre said the proceeds of the match should be used to help victims of tropical cyclone Crising and the southwest monsoon, which have affected nearly two million people across the country.
“On my part, its nothing personal. The truth is, I just saw a very good opportunity to raise funds for charity. For the proceeds that we will raise, we will donate to charity. I will donate it to the victims of the tropical cyclone and flooding, of the inclement weather,” he said.
In the event that Duterte withdraws his challenge, Torre said: “That’s up to him. He was the one who issued the challenge. We just accepted it.”
Duterte challenged Torre to a fight as he continued to criticize the PNP chief, who he said “kidnapped” his father. Torre played a key role in the arrest of the elder Duterte in March.
The younger Duterte has called Torre a “coward” and claimed that he is “nothing without your position.” – With Victor Reyes
