President Duterte is open to running for vice president in next year's elections if the race won't be tight.
Addressing the nation Monday, June 28, the President admitted that running for Vice President was "not a bad idea" but this would depend if there would be "space" for him in the polls.
The President will end his six-year term next year and is constitutionally prohibited from seeking reelection. His political party, however, has asked Duterte to run for vice president and choose the standard bearer.
"It's not at all a bad idea," Duterte said about the vice presidential run during a televised address.
"If there is a space for me, then siguro. Pero kung wala akong space, everybody is crowding up, wanting to be one, vice president, sila na lang muna kasi tapos na ako (they can go ahead since my term is over)," he said.
Duterte also admitted that any vice presidential run would depend on his presidential candidate in the 2022 elections.
"There are things I would like to continue and that would be dependent on the President that I would support. Kasi kung mag-vice president ako, kalaban ko kontra partido kagaya ni (Senator Manny) Pacquiao salita nang salita na three times tayo mas corrupt (If I run for vice president and my rival comes from another party like Pacquiao who keeps saying we're three times more corrupt," he added.
Duterte challenged Pacquiao to prove his allegations of corruption in government or else he would campaign against him in next year's elections. He also shrugged off Pacquiao's promise to give houses to everybody in six years, saying he must be "dreaming."
The President earlier said he would not seek the vice presidency in next year's elections if House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez would vie for the post. Duterte admitted though that running for vice president was a "good idea" since he still has unfinished business.
Duterte previously promised to eliminate illegal drugs and corruption when he ran for president in 2016. He later conceded the difficulty in attaining these targets due to the gravity of these problems and alleged involvement of some public servants.