Davao City Mayor
Rodrigo Duterte has put to rest all speculations about his plans cor the 2016
presidential elections.
"Hindi ako
tatakbo. Wala akong ambisyon maging presidente (I will not run. I have no
ambition to become president)," Duterte said in a press conference
yesterday afternoon.
Duterte apologized to
his supporters, the Moro people who believed in him and to those who have spent
money, albeit unsolicited, for his advertisement and promotion.
"I am sorry. I
told you it was just federalism all along," he said, referring to his
Federalism Speaking Tour in some parts of the country. He said he will support
candidates who will in turn support federalism and asked his supporters to just
follow his lead.
He said he will
support people who will run for the Senate and mentioned the names of
Representative Roman Romulo, Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community
Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS)
Party-list Rep. Samuel Pagdilao and Mark Villar.
Duterte said he will
retire from public office in 2016 with the hope that his daughter, former Mayor
Sara Duterte will run for mayor next year. However, Sara said she has not yet
decided but the people will know her decision in October during the deadline
for the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy.
He also warned that
there will never be peace in Mindanao unless the Bangsamoro Basic Law in an
acceptable form is approved by Congress, or without it, federalism is given to
the people.
Duterte has
repeatedly denied he is interested in running for president for various reasons
including health and finances. However, he has become more emotional in the
past few weeks and even said "the presidency is a failed dream"
"Nakig-istorya
na ko sa akong mga anak...Si Baste, Veronica, Inday...dili sila manugot.
Sorry!," was Duterte's reply when asked if he has already sought the
consent of his children regarding the possibility of his running for the 2016
presidential elections at Almendras Gym last week.
Duterte’s rating at
the SWS and Pulse Asia presidential surveys has consistently been on the rise.
A presidential electoral survey conducted by the University of
Mindanao-Institute of Popular Opinion (UM-IPO) from July 11 to 18 this year
also showed him at the top of the list with a rating of 80 percent compared to
last year’s survey where he got a 65.8 percent rating.
Meanwhile, Mar
Masanguid of the Duterte for President Movement said he is not giving up hope
that Duterte will still run for president because there is still time.
"Mudagan si
Mayor. Motoo mo sa ako. Mag uban man mi sa Manila sa September 14-16 ngano
muadto pa man dya didto kung di dya mudagan," Masanguid said.
