President Rodrigo Duterte leads the flag-raising ceremony during the commemoration of the 123rd anniversary of the martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal with daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio at the Rizal Park in Davao City, Dec. 30, 2019. Karl Norman Alonzo, Presidential Photo/File
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte is thinking over his nomination as a candidate for vice president in the 2022 elections, Malacañang said on Tuesday, while some critics warned that the possible candidacy could establish a political dynasty.
Chaired by Duterte, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan’s (PDP-Laban) national council on Monday voted to come up with a resolution urging him to run for vice president next year.
"Sa lahat po ng nagtatanong kung ano ang kasagutan ng Presidente, ang kasagutan po ay pag-iisipan po niya. Siyempre po siya ay na-nominate, kinakailangan pag-isipan," said Palace spokesman Harry Roque.
(To all those asking for the President's response, his answer is he will think about it. Of course he was nominated, it needs to be pondered on.)
"On the one hand, sabi niya nakapagsilbi na siya sa bayan; on the other hand, ang sabi niya iisipin niya kung anong pinakamabuti para sa bayan," he said in a press briefing.
(On the one hand, he said he has served the country; on the other hand, he said he would think about what would be good for the country.)
Some PDP-Laban members earlier urged the President's daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to run as her father's successor.
The possible Duterte-Duterte election ticket is a variation of the "Davao model," said former lawmaker Teddy Casiño, referring to how the family has ruled the city for decades.
"They've been doing that in Davao City, I think, for the last 20 years. So, it is a Davao model. It has its precedent already, and in many provinces and towns and cities in the country, hindi na bago 'yan (it's nothing new)," Casiño told ANC.
"May mag-asawang tumatakbong mayor, vice mayor. May mag-ama, may mag-ina tumatakbong governor, vice governor. So, this is nothing new. It is a worsening of the state of politics in our country that political dynasties are so blatantly doing these things," said the former Bayan Muna party-list.
(There are couples who run as mayor and vice mayor, and father and son and mother and daughter as governor and vice governor)
The President's 2 sons also hold government positions. Paolo Duterte is the first district representative of Davao City while Sebastian Duterte is the city's vice mayor.
Opposition coalition 1SAMBAYAN said Duterte's possible vice presidential bid "not only makes a mockery of the constitution but a joke of the worst kind."
"It is laughable and the height of impertinence to the Filipino people," 1Sambayan convenor lawyer Howard Calleja said in a statement.
He described the President's possible candidacy as a "macrocosm of the Davao formula," a way for Duterte to stay in power after the latter's term ends next year.
He said he was sure that Filipinos would "reject it as nothing more than one’s self interest to maintain Duterte’s authoritarian brand of failed leadership and traitorous allegiance to China."
Roque denied that Duterte was planning a political dynasty for Malacañang.
"Paano po magkakaroon ng plano, e wala pa pong desisyon ang Presidente? Ang sinabi lang po niya, pag-iisipan niya dahil siya ay na-nominate. Hindi naman po puwedeng balewalain 'yon," he said.
(How can there be a plan, when the President has yet to make a decision? He just said that he will think about it because he was nominated. That cannot be brushed off.)
"Wala pa naman pong desisyon ang Presidente. Ang masasabi ko lang, baka the joke may be on them," Roque added, in response to 1SAMBAYAN's statement.
(The President has no decision yet. All I can say is the joke may be on them.)
Throughout his term in office, Duterte has several times expressed exhaustion and the supposed intent to resident as President. He is a year away from the end of his 6-year term.
Video courtesy of PTV
politics, Duterte-Duterte, Rodrigo Duterte, Duterte vice president, Duterte 2022 elections, Halalan 2022, Sara Duterte