Alan Cayetano is my running mate —Duterte

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has declared that his running mate in the 2016 presidential elections will be Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.

Duterte made the announcement following remarks by Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that talks are ongoing between their two camps even with Marcos' loose coalition with Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago.

Santiago has filed her certificate for candidacy for president while Duterte is eyeing the same position as a substitute candidate of the PDP-Laban. He has yet to file his COC.

"Si Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. Yan ang tandem namin as a ticket," Duterte said.

Duterte said there have been no talks with Marcos since the latter was already Santiago's running mate.

"Hindi kami nag-usap kasi ang pagka-intindi ko sila ni Senator Santiago," Duterte said.

Duterte and Cayetano were together in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

Duterte said that he looked at the two senators equally, as he supported both during their campaigns in 2010.

However, he said it was Cayetano who first and actively asked that they run together for next year's presidential race.

Cayetano declared his vice presidential bid in Duterte's turf last September 29, and even had dinner with the mayor that same day.

He later filed his certificate of candidacy last October 16, hours before the Comission on Elections closed the gates of its main office in Manila to those aspiring to run for national posts.

Duterte, who had then filed a COC for reelection, did not show up.

While Cayetano said then that he understood  the mayor had no ambition for the top post, the senator said he was not losing hope on Duterte running for president.

He kept in touch with Duterte even after the filing period was over.

Duterte is being eyed as the presidential bet of PDP-Laban, as substitute to its member Martin Diño.

Dino filed his COC for president in October but withdrew later the same month and named the mayor as replacement.

However, it wasn't until only this month that Duterte announced that his presidential bid is now on the table, after the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) voted to junk the disqualification case against presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe, whose citizenship is being questioned.

Cayetano was present when Duterte made the announcement.

The mayor has yet to file his COC. The deadline for filing for substitution is on December 10.

The final list of candidates is due December 15. - Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/NB, GMA News