Tells presidential aspirants: “The presidency is a gift from God”
(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte accepted the PDP Laban party’s nomination to run as vice-president, saying that by accepting the nomination he hopes to “continue srving the Filipino people.”
During his remarks at the National Convention of the PDP Laban in San Fernando City, Pampanga, President Duterte, in a prepared speech, said he is formally accepting the nomination.
Before that, he has already indicated he is accepting the nomination.
While Duterte has already accepted the party’s nomination, the supposed nominated standard bearer, Senator Christopher Bong Go has yet to accept the nomination to run as President in 2022 under PDP Laban.
Go, Duterte’s former special assistant, has already previously rejected the nomination, saying he has no ambition in politics. On Wednesday, the senator was not physically present at the PDP convention, but only attended virtually, through Zoom.
Duterte during his speech on Wednesday again recalled how he didn’t really think he would become president.
“I really didn’t know why I made it,” he said. “ Ambisyon lang, di ko akalain na maging totoo.”
-Advice to presidential aspirants-
He then gave this advice to all presidential aspirants.
“The presidency is a gift from God. For those who would aspire for it. You should face the Lord first and ask, ‘Ibibigay mo ba ito sa akin?”
“Then you ask, ‘God what do you want me to do?”
Duterte who has been a mayor first of Davao City for 23 years before running for the presidency in 2016, said that in all the 10 elections where he had run, he had not been defeated even once.
He said that if elected Vice-President in 2022, he hopes to continue to serve the Filipino people.
-Ready to resign if graft allegations vs DOH’s Duque, other cabinet execs true-
During his speech, he again defended the actions of the Department of Health (DOH), saying that if DOH chief Francisco Duque III committed corruption in the procurement of PPEs, he is prepared to resign.
“Kung totoo yan, I will resign,” he said.
Duterte said that he is taking full responsibility for the government’s COVID-19 response as he was the one who had directed government officials to secure and procure PPEs at all costs as doctors were dying then at the start of the pandemic last year. The cost of PPEs then were high as supplies were very much in demand globally. There were very few supplies, if any, officials explained.
-Public’s confidence important, says Duterte-
He said that it is also important that he still has the confidence of the people.
He said that there is also “no point joining the party or for him running as vice-president” under the party, if he has lost the confidence of the people.
“Kung ang mga tao pati kayo, hindi naniniwala na kami karapatdapat kami, ngayong nasa itaas, then there is no point for me joining the party or running as vice president under the party,” he said.
Before he made his remarks, he led the oath taking of the new members of the PDP Laban party, including those who would be running in the national and local posts next year.
“Let us not be hindered by those interested in only personal political gain, he said.
“With solidarity, we will claim victory in the upcoming elections,” he said ending his speech.
(Eagle News Service)
