2 solons criticize Duterte’s plan to run for VP in Eleksyon 2022

Two lawmakers from the House of Representatives on Friday slammed the revelation of President Rodrigo Duterte that he is considering a vice presidential bid in the 2022 national elections.

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Ferdinand Gaite claimed that Duterte wants to seek the vice presidency so that he could escape the charges waiting for him due to the killings amid his drug war.

“Malinaw naman na ang layunin ng kanyang pagtakbo bilang Bise Presidente ay upang matakasan ang mga kasong naghihintay sa kanya, lalo na itong imbestigasyon ng International Criminal Court sa kanyang madugong War On Drugs,” Gaite said.

(The agenda of the President is clear as he wants to run away from the charges waiting for him as well as the ICC’s investigation into his bloody war on drugs.)

“Malinaw ‘yan sa madla, at sa tingin ko'y hindi sila papayag na magtagumpay itong plano ni Duterte na takasan ang kanyang pananagutan sa sambayanan,” he added.

(This is clear to the public and I think they will not allow Duterte’s plan.)

Gaite also believed that having Duterte as a running-mate in the coming elections would be “more of a liability rather than a boost, for that tandem would carry the public's disappointment and exhaustion from Duterte's leadership.”

“Tambalang Palpak ang pwedeng itawag diyan kung sakali. Magiging bagahe talaga si Pang. Duterte sa kanyang running-mate. Baka ang pumayag lang diyan sa tambalang iyan ay iyong alalay niyang ayaw umalis sa tabi niya,” Gaite said.

(That tandem would be a failure. Duterte will be a baggage for his running-mate, maybe his aide who’s always on his side will say yes to that tandem.)

Energy Secretary and PDP-Laban vice chairman Alfonso Cusi earlier said that some of their partymates are pushing for the tandem of Senator Bong Go and President Duterte in the May 2022 presidential elections.

For his part, Magdalo party-list Representative Manuel Cabochan questioned the latest remark of Duterte as he recounted how the President mentioned before that he is already tired.

“Akala ko ba ay pagod na siya sa trabaho? Ngayon naman ay bigla siyang may interes sa pagka-bise presidente. Dalawa lang ‘yan, lust for power at fear of retribution. Alin man doon ay mali. ‘Wag na nating dagdagan ang drama at pambobola,” Cabochan said.

(I thought he’s already tired? Now, he has interest for being the vice president and this will show lust for power and fear of retribution. Either of these is wrong. Let’s not allow that drama.)

“Should President Duterte run for the vice-presidency and win, he is next in line to become president - a post he previously held. If we look at it closely, this move circumvents the intent of the Constitution to bar re-election to the presidency. Iniikutan na naman nila ang batas. The Philippines is not and should not be a Duterte Nation,” he added.

Duterte had said he is considering to run for vice president to avoid being a lame duck during his last year in office.

However, he said before that being a vice president only means waiting for the president to wilt.

Some members of PDP-Laban had urged Duterte to run for the second highest position in the country and even gave him the power to choose his running-mate.—AOL, GMA News