MANILA— Ruling party stalwart Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Friday said it was “not an ideal scenario” for two candidates from Mindanao, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go, gunning for the same position in the 2022 national elections.

The two are closely tied to President Rodrigo Duterte, her being his daughter and Go being his long-time aide.

“Dapat hindi mangyari 'yun. That will not be an ideal scenario kung sila ang maglalaban. Unang-una, hindi po maganda na pareho silang taga-Mindanao, practically the same camp magkakalaban ng ganun. I don’t think that kind of scenario will happen,” said Cusi, who leads a PDP-Laban faction making crucial decisions on candidates to field in the 2022 elections.

• Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte says she has no grudge against Bong Go

Duterte-Carpio, in a statement on Wednesday, urged her father, the president, and PDP-Laban to be accountable for their political decisions for next year’s polls.

The Davao City mayor also said that she refused to be a political punching bag for a party in a complete disarray, in reference to bickerings between a faction led by Cusi and another by Sen. Manny Pacquiao, another potential presidential candidate.

She belongs to the regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

Duterte-Carpio issued a statement after the president said he would not pursue his Vice Presidential bid, as endorsed by PDP-Laban, if his daughter would seek to succeed him.

Cusi said the party is pushing for the Go-Duterte tandem for 2022.

“As far as PDP po, we are very organized. Sabi nga po natin meron tayong convention this coming September 8 at ang isinusulong po ng partido na idudulog po namin sa membership po is yung tandem ni Pangulong Duterte at Sen. Bong Go po,” said Cusi.

But what if Duterte-Carpio makes a bid for president? Cusi said he could not speak for Go on his personal plan should Duterte-Carpio decide to run for president.

“That is a hypothetical example, situation na mangyayari kung tatakbo po si Mayor Inday. Kung mangyayari na ganun na mag-dedecide po siya is something na personal na niyang gagawin 'yun. Hindi po yun PDP decision,” said Cusi.

• Sara Duterte tells dad, Bong Go, PDP-Laban to stop dragging her into political intramurals

As to why he decided to pick Go as PDP-Laban's standard bearer, he said the senator has been exposed to the job of the president and has knowledge of how the executive department works. He also has knowledge in the legislative and even the judiciary.

Go is on his first term as Senator, his debut into politics.

“Sinasabi po namin in all areas of the government siya po ang may magandang knowledge. He might be perceived as “alalay” ni Pangulong Duterte sa ngayon, but I think we should give him respect for that because he doesn’t like to rise above the source,” he said.

• Duterte accepts VP endorsement by PDP-Laban in 2022 polls

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