Ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) will surely have a standard-bearer for the May 2022 elections come Sept. 8, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said.
PDP-Laban will hold on that day its national convention, where President Duterte is expected to accept his prior nomination as the party's vice presidential bet for next year.
So the only question now is, who will Duterte run alongside with?
"Sigurado po sa national convention, magkakaalaman na. Magno-nonimate kami ng aming presidential candidate (It's a sure thing that in the national convention, we will know. We will nominate our presidential candidate)," Nograles said in an interview Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 24 on Radyo Pilipinas.
"Abangan po ang susunod na kabanata (Let's wait for the next chapter)," he further teased.
Nograles recounted that the party's endorsement for Duterte to run for vice president was lumped together with a similar endorsement for Senator Bong Go, in this case for the presidency.
However, Nograles said Go "has not yet confirmed".
"Ayaw naman naming pangunahan, bigyan natin ng konting oras at panahon na makapag-desisyon po si Senator Bong (We don't want to preempt him, let's give Senator Bong a little more time to make a decision)," he said.
Go is the longtime friend and aide of Duterte. The two had been pals dating back to the latter's days as Davao City mayor.
The filing of the certificates of candidacy will be on Oct. 1-8 or one month after PDP-Laban's national convention.