Where will President Duterte get the "sacks" of money needed to bankroll the campaign of administration candidates in the 2022 elections?
According to the Palace, the President won't use public funds and instead intends to help raise campaign funds from private sources to support the candidacies of the administration bets.
In a televised press briefing Monday, July 19, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque asserted that there was nothing illegal with the President's fundraising plans especially since mounting a candidacy is considered "very expensive."
The latest statement from the Palace was issued in an attempt to clarify the President's recent statement about bringing "sacks" of money to the campaign trail of the administration slate for next year's polls.
"Of course, he knows it's illegal to use public funds for partisan purposes, but there is no prohibition in the Omnibus Election code to raise funds from private individuals for the candidacies of individuals so that is what the President meant," Roque said.
"It is an assurance to his party mate that not only will he physically campaign for them, he will also raise funds for them and that's not prohibited by the Constitution or by the Omnibus Election Code," he said.
Roque maintained that that that raising funds for election purposes was not illegal. "Unfortunately, democracy can be very expensive," he quipped.
Without legitimate fundraising, the former lawmaker pointed out that no candidate could managed to run for public office unless the person is wealthy.
"Only the very rich can run if soliciting funds for election purposes will be declared illegal. so on the contrary, that's legal. What is prohibited is the spending of public funds," he said.
Addressing the PDP-Laban party assembly Saturday, July 17, the President announced plans to visit every city and province to campaign for the administration candidates for the upcoming elections. He also commented about plans to bring sackful of money during the campaign trail.
READ: Duterte offers to campaign for PDP-Laban bets in 2022, bring ‘sacks’ of money
While he offered to campaign for his party mates running for public office, the President is also mulling on a possible vice presidential run in next year's elections. He admitted that he floated such idea to get immunity from lawsuits amid threats of his critics to sue him when his six-year presidential term ends next year.
The Commission on Elections earlier announced the filing of certificate of candidacy for elective posts will begin this coming October.