This is not the right time to talk about politics. The focus of everybody must be in containing the deadly coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, executive vice chairman of PDP-Laban party, issued these statements following calls of party members for President Duterte to run for vice president in the 2022 national elections when the President’s one-time six-year term expires on June 30, 2022.
(Rio Leonelle Deluvio / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
A Pulse Asia nationwide survey showed Pimentel’s partymates – President Duterte and Senator Christopher ‘’Bong’’ Go – leading other possible presidential and vice president tandems with a wide margin.
A Go-Duterte tandem as president and vice president bets got 32 percent while a Grace Poe-Tito Sotto tandem got 23 percent.
President Duterte is the PDP-Laban chairman.
Duterte’s party allies in Metro Manila and Cebu, through resolutions, want him to run as vice president in the 2022 race.
Pimentel said PDP-Laban vice chairman Alfonso Cusi had issued a statement asking party members to set aside talks of political plans in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Friday, March 11, Senator Christopher ‘’Bong’’ Go, a close ally of Duterte, said the President knew of the calls of their partymates but did not say what was the reaction of the President.