Duterte: VP tenure problematic if President is not a party-mate

President Rodrigo Duterte sees a problematic term as Vice President, in the event he runs for the office, if the winner in the 2022 Presidential race is not his party-mate, the Palace said Tuesday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the response when asked how President Duterte envisioned his role as a Vice President after serving six years as President.

"Ang isang nakikita niyang problema na kung siya ay tatakbong VP ay baka kontra-partido sila ng Presidente at hindi rin niya magagawa iyong unfinished business niya," Roque said.

(The problem he sees if he runs for Vice President is the possibility of the winning President not being from the same party as he is. In that situation he would not be able to complete his unfinished business.)

"So binanggit din po niya iyan bilang isang balakid," Roque added.

(He mentioned that was a hurdle).

Asked what would be the President's unfinished business, Roque said it was the fight against illegal drugs and corruption.

"Mayroon po siyang unfinished business pagdating po sa droga, pagdating po sa korapsiyon. Pero ang sabi naman po niya, eh kinukonsidera niyang tumakbo only if there is space for him, kung wala naman po ay okay din naman po."

(His unfinished business is illegal drugs and corruption. But he did say he would consider running if there was space for him. If there wasn't, he would be fine with it.)

The President's party-mates in PDP-Laban are calling on him to run for Vice President in 2022.

Roque earlier said the President was leaving it to God whether he would oblige his party-mates, but the President later said it could be a good idea.

The President also said he will support House Majority Leader Ferdinand Romualdez for the 2022 Vice Presidential race, but the Chief Executive said on Monday night he will run for Vice President in 2022 if there was space for him. — DVM, GMA News