Former president Rodrigo Duterte (left), Davao del Norte 1st district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (Facebook)

Don't look now, but former House Speaker, Davao del Norte 1st district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez is trumpeting a possible Palace run from former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2028.

In a statement Monday, Nov. 18, Alvarez argued that there's no constitutional hindrance for Duterte to seek the presidency again following his tenure as chief executive in 2016 to 2022.

"Alam ninyo, ang nakalagay sa 1987 Constitution (The 1987 Constitution says this)--‘The President shall not be eligible for any reelection,'" he said.

"It refers to the sitting or incumbent President not allowed for reelection, para maiwasan yung ginawa ni Marcos Snr. na tuloy-tuloy siya sa Malacañang, walang interruption, ng dalawang dekada," said the Mindanaoan.

(This was to avoid what Marcos Snr. did,  to stay in Malacañang for two decades with no interruption.)

"Hindi yan dapat mag-apply sa dating pangulo na hindi na incumbent. Puwede na siya tumakbo ulit," said the ex-speaker of the 17th Congress.

(That shouldn't apply to a former president who isn't incumbent. He can run again.)

Alvarez then highlighted 79-year-old Duterte's "performance" during the Nov. 13 quad-committee hearing in the House of Representatives when the latter sat through 13 hours of near-continuous questions from the solons.

"Nakita niyo naman, 13 hours nila ginisa si dating pangulong Duterte, malakas pa rin, at yung puso niya nasa tamang lugar," he said.

(You saw for yourselves, former president Duterte was grilled for 13 hours, he's still strong, and his heart is in the right place.)

“Let him run, let the people decide, and if there is a legal issue, let the courts resolve it,” Alvarez said of his close ally and longtime friend.

"Sa Amerika rin, tingnan ninyo, hinalal ulit ng tao si President Trump. Kung naniniwala talaga tayo sa demokrasya, let the people decide," he further said.

(Look what at happened in America, the people elected President Trump once more. If we really believe in democracy, let the people decide.)

Duterte was the oldest elected Philippine president at age 71 in 2016.