Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said he is determined to run for vice president in the upcoming May 2022 elections despite any possible changes the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) may enforce before the Nov. 15 deadline for the substitution of candidates.
While changes might still occur in the ruling political party’s roster of candidates for next year’s polls, Go said he is resolute to run for the second top government post as it is one of the things he and President Duterte has decided to do.
“100% na po akong tatakbong Vice President. Unang-una, kandidato na po ako nakapag-file na po ako ng October 2 at desisyon po 'yan ng partido, desisyon rin po 'yan ni Pangulong Duterte na dapat po mayroong kandidato din po (I am 100 percent sure to run for vice president. First of all, I have already filed my certificate of candidacy last October 2 and it is the decision of the party. It is also the decision of President Duterte that there should be a candidate) from the two of us,” Go said during an interview in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
According to Go, he accepted the challenge to be the ruling party's vice presidential bet Duterte announced his intention to retire from politics.
“I accepted the challenge at tuluy-tuloy na po ito hanggang sa huling araw ng eleksyon,” the senator said.
Go also emphasized that the PDP-Laban party’s presidential candidate would be none other than Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
“Sa ngayon po, siyempre may partido kami. Ang Presidente ng aming partido na kandidato ay si Bato. So we have to follow the decision... sa aming partido na PDP-Laban (Of course, we have a political party. And the presidential candidate of our party is Sen. Bato. So we have to follow the decision of the PDP-Laban party),” he said.
“Kung wala naman pong pagbabago eh, 'di syempre si Bato ang kandidato namin bilang Presidente. Kung may changes someday, maybe malalaman po natin, by (November) 15 kung mayroon pong changes (If there are no changes, of course, he will be our candidate for president. If there are changes someday, we will know by Nov. 15 if there are changes),” he added.
Dela Rosa earlier said he is waiting for Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to change her mind and run for president under the PDP-Laban as he disclosed talks with the latter to remind her that the Nov. 15 deadline is fast approaching.
The PDP-Laban presidential bet admitted he has yet to hit the campaign trail because he has yet to wait for the President’s daughter to decide.
“Maybe we’ll start campaigning after Nov. 15. But if she will not change her mind, then I am ready. We’ll continue with our presidential bid,” Dela Rosa said.
But the PDP-Laban party led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said it is resolute in fieldiing a Dela Rosa-Go tandem in the May 2022 polls.