Go says he loves Pres. Duterte and will continue his programs as Duterte admin’s presidential bet
(Eagle News) – Senators Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go withdrew their respective candidacies as presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the ruling PDP-Laban party on Saturday, Nov. 13.
President Rodrigo Duterte accompanied the two candidates when they filed their certificates withdrawing their candidacies with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Later, Senator Go, filed his candidacy as presidential candidate to continue the Duterte programs but under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) an allied party of PDP-Laban. President Duterte then raised his hand supporting Go as presidential bet.
“Ipagpapatuloy ko ang tunay na serbisyo. Tunay na malasakit,” Go said.
“Ipagpapatuloy ko ang mga magagandang programa ni Pangulong Duterte. At dadagdagan ko pa po,” he said. “Mahal ko si Pangulong Duterte. Magseserbisyo po ako sa inyong lahat.”
“Save the legacy. Save the party,” Go then declared also referring to the administration’s party, PDP-Laban.
This happened after presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, through lawyer Reynold Munsayac, filed her certificate of candidacy as vice-presidential bet of LAKAS-CMD.
Secretary Martin Andanar, however, said that they would return on Monday, Nov. 15, at the Comelec office.
There is still no final statement as to what their definite moves on Monday would be. But Andanar kept saying that President Duterte would return to the Comelec office to file his candidacy as vice-president.
“Basta sa Monday, babalik si President Duterte dito sa Comelec para mag-file ng candidacy as vice-president. So abangan natin ang susunod na kabanata,” Andanar told reporters hurriedly
But this too seemed not definite because amid the din, President Duterte, when asked by reporters on his reaction about his daughter, Mayor Sara, already filing her certificate of candidacy as a vice-presidential bet, the 76-year old Philippine leader seemed confused and asked “Yung anak ko nag-file na?”
“Hindi na ako mag-file,” the president then said.
The tumultuous developments on Saturday, Nov. 13, gave a hint that Mayor Sara’s recent moves had not been communicated to her father, President Duterte.
-Go: I have to step up; the administration needs a standard bearer-
Senator Go was a bit emotional when he addressed reporters’ questions after he switched from being vice-presidential to becoming administration’s presidential bet.
“The administration has to have a standard-bearer,” he said in Filipino.
“Save the (Duterte) legacy. Save the party,” he repeated.
He talked of how he had been affected by recent events, and that he only wants to continue President Duterte’s programs.
“Desisyon po ito ng partido. Desisyon po ito ni Pangulong Duterte,” Go said referring to his move to be the Duterte administration’s standard-bearer.
“Mahal ko ang aking kapwa Pilipino. Mahal ko si Pangulong Duterte. Ayaw kong masaktan ang ating Pangulo. Kung kinakailangan kong magsakripisyo at tumabi, yun po ang aking ginawa,” he said referring to his earlier move to withdraw his VP candidacy to avoid going head-to-head against the President’s daughter.
His recent move to run for the presidency was because of the need to “step up” for the party, Go said. The administration party has to have a standard-bearer, he said.
“May partido po ako. Wala pong standard-bearer ang ating administration. So sabi ko I accepted the challenge, kung kailangan kung mag-step-up, gagawin ko. I have to step up alang-alang sa partido,” he said.
Go said what is definite so far is that he would seek the presidency which was the decision of the party and of President Duterte.
Because of this, Go said he is prepared to run for the highest post out of his “love for President Duterte and to Filipino people” even if this meant going against former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“Kung trabaho lang po ang pag-uusapan, alam na alam ko ang ginagawa ng ating Pangulo. Yung sakripisyo po para sa bayan, yun ang ipagpapatuloy ko,” he said when asked if his three years as a senator was enough to give him confidence to run for the presidency.
“Ang puede ko lang i-offer sa mga Pilipino ay yung totoong malasakit po,” he said.
(Eagle News Service)
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