Malacañang reiterated that it is focused on addressing the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as it denied that the Duterte-Duterte tandem for the 2022 elections was floated by the government.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after Senator Panfilo Lacson said Filipinos are not ready for a "Davao City-like" situation with Mayor Sara Duterte and President Duterte leading the country as president and vice president, respectively.
In his Friday presser, Roque denied that the tandem was floated by the government but said that if a government official indeed said it, it was the official’s personal opinion.
"Hindi po galing sa gobyerno 'yang Duterte-Duterte (The Duterte-Duterte tandem did not come from the government)," he said.
"Kung meron man pong mga taong gobyernong nag-e-express niyan, 'yan po ay mga personal na opinion po nila (If someone from the government did express that, it's their personal opinion)," he added.
According to Roque, the government is busy focusing on the pandemic instead of talking about politics.
"Ang mandato po ng Presidente natin, tutok po muna tayo sa pandemya, tsaka na 'yang politika (The President's mandate is we should focus on the pandemic first and politics later)," he said.
Apparently, Roque not know that Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo floated the Duterte-Duterte tandem in his "Counterpoint" program in September last year.
According to Panelo, he wanted the father and daughter tandem to run for president and vice president in the elections next year. He added that the opposition will not stand a chance if the pair will decide to run.
“Oh, ‘di ba? Ang ganda! Duterte-Duterte. Wala na. Patay ang oposisyon pag tumakbo ang dalawang ito (Just imagine! It’s good! Duterte-Duterte. Game over. The opposition won’t stand a chance if these two would run),” he said.
President Duterte once served as the vice mayor of Davao City when his daughter was the mayor from 2010 to 2013. He was a multi-term mayor after the 1986 EDSA People Power revolution restored free elections in the country.
The President has repeatedly expressed that he was not interested in staying in Malacañang beyond his term.