PHILIPPINES— Senators Bong Go and Sherwin Gatchalian have personally offered to run as Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte’s vice presidential candidate in Eleksyon 2022, the daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday.
In a statement on her official Facebook page, Sara again denied Duterte’s claim on national television that Senator Imee Marcos visited her in Davao to discuss Marcos’ wish to run as her vice president.
“I can confirm the people who have personally expressed their offer to run as my vice president: Senator Sherwin Gatchalian [and] Senator Bong Go,” Sara said.
Duterte has said that he would run for vice president but would not do so if Sara would run for president.
Sara answered ‘yes’ in early July when she was asked if she was open to running for president.
The PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has endorsed Duterte’s vice presidential candidacy and a possible presidential run by Go.
Go, Duterte’s longtime aide and confidante, has declined the party endorsement.
He, however, has said that he would run for president if Duterte would run for the second highest elective post.
Sara said a proposal for former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Jr. to run as her vice president was “made known through common friends.”
She said she knew of certain groups who want House Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Senator Sonny Angara to run as her vice president.
“[But] I cannot confirm if these are true,” Sara said.
As regards former Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., Sara said, “I have read from news reports the possibility of a tandem.”
Sara denied a news article which claimed there was a proxy fight between Duterte’s first and second families, with her on one side, and Go with the President’s partner Honeylet Avancena on the other.
“I do not hold a grudge against Senator Ho concerning his relationship with PRRD. I am not the keeper of the President, he is allowed to have friends as I am,” Sara said. –NB, GMA News
