PRESIDENT Duterte is open to the possibility of running for vice president in 2022 but is leaving it to God if he would push through or not, his chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo said on Tuesday night.
In an interview with the Chiefs, Panelo said Duterte may run if he sees that there is a “clamor…a strong clamor,” similar to the situation in the 2016 presidential elections.
“Ito ang sagot niya, ‘I’ll leave it to God.’ Those were his exact words,” Panelo said when asked if Duterte is open to the idea of running in 2022.
“So in other words, naniniwala siya kung nakatadhana ka, iyan ang mangyayari. Kung ang Diyos ang magtatadhana at itinalaga ka dyan wala kang magagawa kundi susundin mo (He believes that if you’re destined for it, that will happen. If God decides and puts you there, there’s nothing you can do about it but follow it),” he added.
Panelo also said the West Philippine Sea dispute is not likely to be an issue with voters in 2022 since Filipinos are looking at issues that likely have a direct impact on them such as hunger, the coronavirus disease (COVID -19), vaccination program, corruption and environment.
Duterte has been heavily criticized for his policies and actions on the West Philippine Sea dispute, including his alleged weak stance against China despite several incursions by Chinese vessels within the country’s exclusive economic zone.
Panelo had previously floated the idea of a Duterte-Duterte tandem in 2016 or a Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio-Rodrigo Duterte team in 2022.
Sen. Christopher Go had also floated the idea of the elder Duterte running for vice president after the senator was teased by the chief executive of dreaming about becoming the next president. Go said Duterte was just joking about it but added he might consider if the President becomes his running mate.
Panelo recalled that the elder Duterte only ran in 2016 following a clamor from his allies and supporters and after the Supreme Court allowed Sen. Grace Poe to run for president despite her not being a natural-born Filipino and for not meeting the 10-year minimum residency requirement.
The elder Duterte became the substitute of Martin Diño, who withdrew his presidential candidacy.
Duterte garnered 16 million votes to handily beat his rivals for the post.
