The only way to for a presidential candidate to get the President Rodrigo Duterte’s Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban’s (PDP-Laban) endorsement is for them to adhere to the party’s “11-point Agenda for Continuity” which includes the continuation of the administration’s war on drugs, criminality and communist terrorism, the group’s president and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi told Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno.

Cusi made the statement in response to the appeal of Moreno, Aksyon Demokratiko’s standard bearer who expressed his desire for the PDP-Laban to support his candidacy in the upcoming May 2022 elections.

“We will only endorse the presidential candidate who is fully committed to the continuity of President Duterte’s programs, advocacies and vision for the Philippines. These are non-negotiable,” Cusi said in a statement.

“I understand why many of our candidates have desired the support and endorsement of President Duterte and the PDP Laban’s, as only our beloved President has maintained a very high support from the people, even during the end of his term. His and the party’s endorsement is critical to a candidate’s victory,” the secretary noted.

Thus, he said, anyone aspiring to get the President’s endorsement should be fearless in continuing his vision of ending the plague of 53-years of communist terrorism in the Philippines.

Cusi said this can only happen by institutionalizing the National Task Force for Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict or NTF-ELCAC, and increasing the budget of the Barangay Development Program (BDP) and Retooled Community Support Program, and ending all peace talks with Joma Sison.

“The candidate must pursue the better and more successful local peace engagement with the members and supporters of the New People’s Army,” he said.

It is also imperative for that presidential bet to ensure he will sustain the Duterte government’s campaign against illegal drugs, and intensify efforts against criminality.

He or she, he said, should also maintain the country’s independence form the International Criminal Court (ICC), which temporarily halted its ongoing probe into the so-called “war on drugs” upon the request of the Duterte administration.

That presidential candidate, Cusi said, should also pursue the internal cleansing of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

“Kailangan talagang ituloy ang pagbabagong nasimulan na ni Pangulong Duterte (There is really a need to continue the reforms started by President Duterte). And that’s the reason the President has not yet endorsed any presidential candidate. He is still contemplating on a truly worthy successor,” he said.

The Department of Energy (DOE) chief, likewise, said the PDP-Laban will continue to veer away from “personality-based politics” and move towards politics that is “issue-based” to bring about meaningful change for the country.

“This is why the PDP Laban is obligated not only to continue and sustain... but to surpass this administration’s achievements such as the Build, Build, Build, free education for all levels, Universal Health Care, free irrigation, Barangay Development Program (BDP), and the whole-of-nation approach to end local communist armed conflict or the NTF ELCAC. And the list goes on... So, these are really big shoes to fill in,” he emphasized.