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ELEKSYON 2022
Palace on Duterte's 'sacks of money' remark: He'll raise funds from private citizens
By LLANESCA T. PANTI,GMA NewsMalacañang assured the public on Monday that President Rodrigo Duterte will not use public funds for the candidacy of administration bets in next year's elections.
At a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said what Duterte meant when he said he would bring in "sacks of money" to the campaign is that he would raise funds from private individuals to fund his candidates.
“He knows it is illegal to use public funds for partisan activities. He will be helping in raising funds from private individuals. That is what the President meant, that he will raise funds for them (candidates) and that is not prohibited,” Roque said.
“Unfortunately, democracy can be very expensive.”
Duterte made the promise
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“Those running for reelection, ikampanya ko kayo. Kayong mga tatakbo, city for city, province for province, ikakampanya ko kayo [Those seeking to be elected, I will campaign for you],” Duterte had said.
“Magdala ako maraming pera. Per sako, kung meron [I will bring lots of money. Sacks of it, if that is possible],” he added.
Cusi was elected PDP-Laban President to replace Senator Manny Pacquiao, but the Pacquiao faction of the ruling party has maintained that Cusi’s election and the proceeds of the Pampanga meeting are invalid and unauthorized.
Those PDP-Laban members present during the meeting are calling on Duterte to run for vice president in the 2022 elections and pick his running mate as well.
However, the meeting is not recognized by the PDP-Laban faction led by Senator Manny Pacquiao, who was ousted as acting party president during the meeting and replaced by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi. —KBK, GMA News