Senator? State auditor? Supreme Court chief justice?
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Thursday, Oct. 13, showed she’s ready to put in a good word for her former boss, Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta, in case she wants to transfer to another public office.
Speaking during the 7th Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) Convention for Public Attorneys at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City, the country’s second highest official shared that Acosta was “my one day boss a long, long, time ago,” which was why she was a “staple” to PAO events.
She talked about the possibility of supporting Acosta if she decides to run for senator, the next elections of which would be in 2025.
“We always need that one weird person in the Senate, Ma’am,” Duterte said, assuring Acosta that PAO lawyers would campaign for her if she joins the race.
“And, of course, mahal na mahal ko si (I love) Attorney Persida Acosta (so much). I love you, Ma’am, dahil napakaweirdo mo (because you are so weird), Ma’am,” she told the PAO chief.
But if Acosta doesn’t want to run for Senate, Duterte said she should instead be in the Commission on Audit (COA) or maybe even as Supreme Court chief justice.
Acosta had once applied for the associate justice post in SC.
“If you don’t want to work for 15 million votes, Ma’am, pwede naman ikaw mag-(you can be the) chairperson ng Commission on Audit (COA), Ma’am. Sila doon (There), Ma’am, I think they would want to experience wearing white, Ma’am,” Duterte said, eliciting laughter from the audience
“You only need one vote there, Ma’am, the vote of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, and by the way, he is my friend. Or, why not chief justice, Ma’am, sa (in the) Supreme Court, di ba (right)?,” she jokingly cajoled the PAO chief.
The Vice President also assured the PAO lawyers that they would always have a “friend” at the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
“And, of course, I’m here because I want you to know that you have a friend in the Office of the Vice President. And that (the) office will always be behind and beside you as you serve our country,” she said.