President Rodrigo Duterte endorsed to lawmakers on Tuesday his longtime aide, Sen. Bong Go, as his successor, and his daughter and political heir Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio for vice president, according to one of the attendees of the dinner meeting in Malacañang.
Duterte, who is running for senator, asked some 95 lawmakers to support the candidacy of Go and Duterte-Carpio according to Rep. Michael Aglipay, who chairs the House committee on good government and public accountability.
"Si Pangulo mabilis lang nagsalita na ang ine-endorse niya Bong Go-Sara Duterte tandem. Never niya minention Senate plan niya," Aglipay, who was present in the dinner, told reporters.
Cabinet Sec. Karlo Nograles on Wednesday confirmed the President's "informal and relaxed gathering with lawmakers" but made no mention of the endorsement.
"It was, for the President, an opportunity to see friends he had not personally seen since the onset of the pandemic due to the restrictions that had been put in place," Nograles said.
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The President had initially pushed for his daughter to run to succeed him with Go as vice president but Duterte-Carpio instead chose to run for vice president alongside the son and namesake of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
Duterte-Carpio's decision prompted Go to abandon his vice presidential bid and seek the presidency instead to avoid a clash with the President's daughter.
Both Marcos Jr. and Duterte-Carpio formally announced their tandem in separate Facebook posts on Tuesday night.
Duterte-Carpio claimed that she asked her father's political party, PDP-Laban, to support her tandem with Marcos Jr but she was turned down.
"Tinanggihan ito ng PDP at naiintindihan natin ito. Pero gusto ko lang na linawin, walang pangalan na sinisira o dinudungisan, walang sinasagasaan, walang inaagrabyado, inaaway, pinapaiyak o inaapi," she said.
Responding to Duterte-Carpio's statement, Go said PDP-Laban didn't refuse to support anyone.
"I will let the PDP leadership clarify these matters in due time. Alam ko naman po na wala kaming tinatanggihan. Being the administration party, we have always exerted efforts to reach out to those who are supportive of President Duterte," he said.
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