Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines鈥揇avao City mayor Rodrigo听Duterte听said Thursday that he is not accepting the offer of Senator Miriam Santiago as her running mate in 2016, saying that he is 鈥渘ot good for national office鈥� and that he will retire after his term as mayor.
鈥淚 am honored by the declaration of Senator Santiago but unfortunately, I said I am not good for national office and besides, I intend to retire after this term. Gusto听ko听na mag-retire. Matanda听na听ako,鈥澨鼶uterte said in an听.
[I am honored by the declaration of Senator Santiago but unfortunately, I said I am not good for national office and besides, I intend to retire after this term. I want to retire. I am old.]
He said that this statement will finally end all speculations that he would run for any government position after his term.
鈥楿迟补苍驳听苍补听濒辞辞产鈥櫶�
Instead,听Duterte听endorsed former Defense secretary Gilberto 鈥淕ibo鈥澨齌eodoro听Jr. to run as Santiago鈥檚 vice president saying that his 鈥渃apabilities are beyond issue鈥� and that he has 鈥渦tang听na听loob鈥� (debt of gratitude) to听Teodoro听who stood by him during the 鈥渓owest times鈥� of his life.
鈥淚 know him and on a personal note, may听utang听na听loob听ako听sa听kanya.听Itong听tao听na听ito, he is honest, the capabilities are beyond issue. In my low moments听sa听buhay听ko听noon, he stood by me.鈥�
[I know him and on a personal note, I have a debt of gratitude to him. He is honest and the capabilities are beyond issue. In my low moments in my life then, he stood by me.]
Duterte听recalled that as his lawyer,听Teodoro听won the cases filed against him in the Supreme Court.
The Davao city mayor also added that听Teodoro听is a 鈥渕an of integrity and competence鈥� and he would support the former defense secretary 鈥渁ll the way鈥�.
鈥淚nstead, I am asking Gilberto听Teodoro听to accept that. He is a man of integrity and competence and he would make a good vice president,鈥澨鼶uterte听added.
President from Mindanao?听
Asked on the possibility of having a president of the republic from Mindanao,听Duterte听said that they would have to wait for another generation.
鈥淚n God鈥檚 time, there will be a president coming from Mindanao.听Pero听hindi听ako听鈥榶an,鈥澨鼶uterte听said.
[鈥淚n God鈥檚 time, there will be a president coming from Mindanao. But that is not me.]
Santiago said Wednesday that she 鈥渨ould love鈥� to have听Duterte听as her vice president if she runs in 2016 presidential elections. The lady senator also eyed听Teodoro听and Senator Grace Poe as her possible running mate.
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