MANILA - Malacañang is hoping that Davao City Mayo Rodrigo Duterte will end up endorsing the administration standard bearer Mar Roxas, insisting that the former Interior secretary "never had any hand" in the disinformation against Duterte.
READ: Roxas denies hand in cancer rumors vs 'friend' Duterte
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the administration won't resort to personality attacks, adding that it wants to embark on an issue-based campaign.
"Sec Mar Roxas has already texted Mayor Duterte about it and really saying that he had nothing to do with that. They're friends," Lacierda said.
The Palace is hoping that Duterte would help campaign for the administration ticket just as he endorsed the Aquino-Roxas tandem in 2010.
READ: Why Duterte won't support Roxas, LP
"In 2010, Mayor Duterte campaigned for the Noy-Mar ticket so talagang matagal na po sila magkakilala. Siyempre, Mayor Duterte is a respected figure not only in Davao City, not only in Mindanao but also now in entire Philippines kilala na siya,'' Lacierda said.
''At mayroon siyang magandang advocacies. And they've been friends, more than anything else, they've been friends. Certainly, you would like that friendship continues and how that friendship will blossom into an endorsement of Mayor Duterte to Secretary Mar Roxas. We've seen that already in 2010 when he endorsed then Senator Noynoy Aquino and Senator Mar Roxas. We certainly hope that Mayor Duterte and former Secretary Mar Roxas will rekindle their… or clear the air between the two of them."
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