President Duterte’s declaration of running for vice president to avoid the lawsuits he may be facing once his term ends in 2022 “is an insult to voters,” an activist group said Sunday, July 18.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr. made the statement after Duterte floated the idea of running for vice president to avoid lawsuits once he steps down from the presidency in 2022.
“Ito ang pinakamakasarili at pinaka self-serving na dahilan. Ito ay insulto sa mga botante (This is the most selfish and most self-serving reason. This is an insult to the voters),” Reyes said in a Twitter post.
“Hindi sya tatakbo para sa serbisyo publiko kundi para maka-iwas sa mga kaso (He will not run for public service but to avoid lawsuits),” he added.
Tatakbo raw si Duterte bilang Vice President para sa immunity vs mga demanda. 1. Ito ang pinakamakasarili at pinaka self-serving na dahilan. Ito ay insulto sa mga botante. Hindi sya tatakbo para sa serbisyo publiko kundi para maka-iwas sa mga kaso. #DuterteWakasan (cont)
— Renato Reyes, Jr. (@natoreyes) July 18, 2021
The President made his recent statement during the national assembly of the ruling party PDP-Laban in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga on July 17.
“Sabi ng batas, na kung Bise Presidente ka, may immunity ka. Eh, ‘di tatakbo na lang ako ng Bise Presidente (The law says that if you’re the Vice President, you will have immunity. I will just run then),” Duterte said
This latest announcement made by the President reaped the ire of critics, with the Bayan official pointed out that only the president has immunity against lawsuits.
“Walang immunity ang vice president. Presidente lang ang meron. Ano kaya ang pinagbatayan ni Duterte? O baka naman ito ang gameplan nya—tumakbong VP para maging Presidente uli sa pamamagitan ng succession? (The vice president has no immunity. Only the president has it. On what did he Duterte based it on? Or maybe this is his gameplan — run for VP to become President again by succession?),” Reyes said.
“Tanging ang mga guilty lang ang magsasabi na tatakbo sila para makakuha ng immunity. Parang umamin din sya na may kasalanan talaga siya (Only the guilty will say that they will run to get immunity. He also seemed to admit that he was really guilty),” he added.