Palace: Nothing wrong with Duterte endorsing senatorial candidates in events

Malacañang on Tuesday defended President Rodrigo Duterte's penchant for using his speeches in public events to endorse senatorial candidates ahead of the official campaign period, which kicks off next month.

The President has been vocal about pitching for public support for former Special Assistant to the President Christopher "Bong" Go. He even accompanied Go in filing his candidacy papers for senator at the Commission on Elections' main office in Manila in October last year.

Duterte has also vouched for the credentials of other senatorial candidates, namely, former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino, and former Philippine National Police chief Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said no election rules were violated with the President endorsing his preferred candidates, adding previous chief executives did the same during their incumbency.

"There’s nothing wrong with endorsing or praising someone who is running for the Senate," Panelo said at a news conference.

Panelo added it was up to the voters to decide who to back in the May 2019 elections.

He also denied that Duterte is using presidential events for campaigning.

"This President doesn’t do that. Very spontaneous ang Presidenteng ito," he said.

Panelo said the candidates happened to be at the venues of presidential engagements.

"He doesn’t bring candidates. Those candidates happened to be there. These candidates are very creative, they know the schedule of the President so that they go there and when the President sees them, if they see him or if he sees them kasi if he doesn’t see them he doesn’t say anything," he said.

"If you notice iyong mga speeches niya dire-diretso, tapos bigla iyang ‘oh.’ Kapag nakita niya then [he] says something good. Ganoon siya eh, so it’s not intentional on his part."

Duterte had said that he is committed to have a clean and honest 2019 elections as observers believe this may serve as a referendum on the first three years of his mandated six-year presidency.

Panelo disagreed.

"Iyon ang sinasabi nila [referendum on Duterte's performance]. But to me, kahit na mayroong manalong oposisyon, the message is, this President has the approval of an overwhelming majority of Filipinos," he said.

"We’re voting for you to help him and not to destroy or to attack or to make a monkey wrench of his program. Iyan ang magiging message at hindi dahil pinanalo mo iyong isang oposisyon dahil kontra ka, otherwise, hindi consistent ‘di ba?" Panelo said. — RSJ, GMA News