Isko says Duterte allowed to run for senator, Leody says he should face raps instead

Presidential aspirants Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and labor leader Leody de Guzman gave different reactions to a PDP-Laban faction's push for President Rodrigo Duterte to run for senator.

According to Sandra Aguinaldo's report  on "24 Oras", Moreno said a senatorial candidacy by Duterte was allowed under the law. He pushed for a review of the country's election law.

"The law allows it. kaya our election system, our political system must be revisited," said Moreno.

De Guzman said Duterte should face complaints against him instead of running for public office. He was referring to the International Criminal Court's probe into the Duterte drug war.

"Tigilan na nila ang pag ambisyon na si Duterte magkaroon ng position sa gobyerno," De Guzman said.

[Stop their ambition to make Duterte run for public office.]

"Sabihin sa mga taga-PDP, antayin na ni Duterte ang kaso niya," he added.

[Tell PDP to just let Duterte face his cases.]

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has confirmed that the faction that he leads is asking Duterte to seek a senatorial seat in Eleksyon 2022 and push PDP-Laban's reforms in the legislature.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, the leader of the other faction of the PDP-Laban, called the move desperate. 

"They give impression that they do not have strong candidates within their group and that they are all simply riding on and are totally dependent on the popularity and strength of personality of the incumbent president,” Pimentel said in a text message to reporters.

“That for us is ‘personality politics’ which we want to see ended here in [Philippines] as soon as possible,” he added. -Consuelo Marquez/NB, GMA News