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President Rodrigo Duterte mocked Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Friday about a possible presidential bid in 2022.
During the joint meeting of national and regional working groups to end the local communist armed conflict (Elcac) in the city of Cagayan de Oro on Friday, Duterte called Go “president” and asked him to “get up and see if it’s convenient”.
“Stand up and say hi to the people. That is too low; raise your hand higher, ”Duterte told Go in Visayan.
Duterte said Go has been with him for 21 years since he started in 1988 and has never lost an election.
“So how long have I been mayor, how many terms? One two three four five six? Seven? So that’s the story there, ”Duterte added.
The president hinted that Go could be his possible successor after he reiterated that he had no plans to remain in office after his term expires in 2022.
Duterte said that there were so many corrupt people and that “no one dared to bring them down out of fear.”
He said that since he was no longer running for any position, “what should I be afraid of?”
Duterte, who failed to endorse his former senior assistant, said Go “would be the one to take the hit.”
“He is hardworking. You always read his name in the newspaper, right? If there is a fire somewhere, it will go wherever it is. Just look at its endless flights. In the afternoon, when I fly back to Manila, he would also be there, ”added the president.
Before becoming a senator, Go was Duterte’s aide from his days as mayor of Davao City until his presidency.
However, the senator said on Friday that he was not aiming for a higher position in next year’s polls, as he would rather focus on the coronavirus pandemic first.
“I am very grateful for the confidence that the President has given me. Salamat po sa tiwala but Hindi po ako interested (Thanks for the trust, but I’m not interested), ”Go said when asked if he was running for higher office in the 2022 national elections.
Go was among those named as possible contenders for the 2022 presidential race in a Pulse Asia poll, which Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the president’s eldest daughter, had surpassed. Duterte-Carpio also topped an Octa Research poll of preferred candidates for president and vice president.
Duterte’s leadership style
Vice President María Leonor “Leni” Robredo said there must be a serious study on why Filipinos are drawn to President Duterte’s forceful leadership style when asked for a response to polls.
Speaking in Filipino during “The Mangahas Interviews” on GMA News, Robredo said this was something that “we have to deal with.”
Robredo said that understanding people’s preferences would help offer an alternative style of leadership that would still address the concerns of Filipinos.
Robredo emphasized that the popularity of Duterte’s leadership style should not be taken for granted.
“I think there are many messages, there are many profound messages of why this is so and we have to face it. Because if we do not face that, we will not be able to solve our problems as a nation (there are many messages, many profound messages in the reason for this. And we must face that because if we do not face it, we cannot solve our problems as one country) “, He said.
In the Pulse Asia and Octa Research polls, Robredo ranked fifth with 8 and 5 percent of respondents indicating they would vote for her as president in the 2022 elections.
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