President Rodrigo Duterte has formally accepted the endorsement of the ruling party PDP-Laban as vice presidential bet in the 2022 elections. The national convention was conducted in Pampanga on Wednesday.
Duterte was supposed to team up with Senator Bong Go who will run as president but the senator has so far declined his nomination.
“I want to see the continuity of the efforts even though I may not be the one giving the direction. Baka makatulong lang ako,” Duterte said.
The faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi also formally endorsed Go to run for president.
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“Ito rin ang rason kung bakit nagdesisyon akong hindi mag-attend ng ating pagpupulong dahil ayokong magkaroon pa ng maling kahulugan ang pagpunta ko roon. I have already respectfully declined your endorsement through a letter I sent last week. I am hoping that the party will continue to respect my decision,” Go said in a statement.
The next step for Go and Duterte would be for them to file their candidacies before the Commission on Elections in October.
The Cusi-faction also endorsed Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez as senatorial bets.
Duterte has the authority to add more candidates.
