Former President Rodrigo Duterte said on Saturday evening he would be willing to run for mayor of his hometown Davao City in the May 2025 elections.
At a news conference in Davao City, Duterte inquired from the media if the public opinion was in favor of him returning as mayor of the city that he had led for over two decades before winning the presidency in 2016.
When some members of the press replied in the affirmative, Duterte said, ”Sige, mag-mayor tayo (Sure, let’s run for mayor).”
Duterte said his son, incumbent Mayor Sebastian ”Baste” Duterte, ”should be the vice mayor.”
The former president also appeared to have ruled out the possibility of running for senator even as opinion polls indicated that he was among the favorites to win Senate seats in the upcoming year.
Duterte cited his age and physical health.
“You think I can carry a national campaign at my age, or you want me to die?” the 79-year-old asked. ”Magko-collapse lang ako niyan (I will only collapse).”
”Mukhang hindi ko na kaya (I can no longer endure a national campaign). Let us be realistic about it,” he added.
Earlier, PDP president Robin Padilla said the party would wait for Duterte’s decision whether to run for senator until the last day of filing of candidacy papers on October 8.
“Bilang partido, ako ang presidente ng PDP, gusto ko na tumakbo siya. Kung hindi siya, isa sa mga anak niya,” the senator told reporters on Friday.
(As PDP president, I personally want him to run. If not him, then one of his children.)
“Para sa amin, napakahalaga sa PDP na may Duterte dahil ang PDP ay Duterte,” Padilla said.
(For us, it’s important for PDP to have a Duterte because PDP is a Duterte party.)
Senator Ronald ”Bato” dela Rosa, also a PDP member, said they were also encouraging Mayor Duterte to join the senatorial race. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
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