While there are no constitutional prohibitions for President Duterte should he decide to run for vice president in the May 2022 elections with Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go as his running mate, such a political scenario may not be acceptable for many Filipinos.
(SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson broached this idea as he believes that the probability of a nation headed by either Go, Duterte or the president’s daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio would not be welcomed by the majority of the public.
“I don’t think Filipinos are ready for a Davao City-like political situation or arrangement. I don’t think so,” Lacson said in an interview over ANC Headstart.
“This is not to take away anything from Sen. Go or President Duterte or Sara Duterte. But I don’t think Filipinos are ready to see a Davao City-like political situation in the whole country,” he said.
Lacson likened the situation to the whole of the Philippines becoming a barangay of Davao City.
“If that situation happens, I think it’s a bit too much. While you say it’s constitutional, legal and it’s really up to the electorate to decide. But you know, to me, personally, it does not look good,” he pointed out.
Duterte’s allies had earlier floated the idea of a “Go-Duterte” or “Duterte-Duterte” tandem in the upcoming May 2022 polls though all three politicians recently declared they have no concrete plans to run in next year’s elections.
Go had earlier said he has no plans to run for president and appealed to his supporters to count him out from any political talks.
The President also thumbed down calls for his daughter “Inday Sara” to run for president, saying the presidency is no job for a woman because of their emotional differences from men.
Lacson, however, said he believes Go is bent on running for president, saying Duterte himself disclosed this in a recent speech.
Go and Duterte are both stalwarts of the ruling Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP)-Laban party, while Sara Duterte formed her own regional political alliance called Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), which also supports her father’s administration.