Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Tuesday said she will run for president in the 2016 elections.
Asked by reporters if she will file her certificate of candidacy for the presidency this week, Santiago answered a simple 鈥測es.鈥�
She added that her running mate is someone who has already declared his or her candidacy.
Santiago said the Philippines will be a 鈥渕uch better country鈥� if she will become president in the 鈥渘ear future.鈥�
READ: Miriam Santiago: PH will be much better if I become president
鈥淚f I become president some time in the very near future, this country will be much better than it was before. Today, this country suffers from the malaise of plunder. Plunder is when you look at a person and the person looks at you and you feel like eating each other up. It鈥檚 like cancer,鈥� said Santiago, who is currently on medical leave at the Senate for battling Stage 4 lung cancer.
鈥淭he one thing bad about cancer is it tends to eat up its neighbor,鈥� she added.
Santiago said she will try 鈥渢o make this country better鈥� through her faith and with the help of fellow Filipinos.
鈥淪o we will try to make this country better simply by trusting in the Lord, trusting in yourself鈥攖rusting that you yourself may lead in God鈥檚 great heaven where we know He loves,鈥� the senator added.
Santiago made the statement during the meet-and-greet and book signing event for 鈥淪tupid is Forevermore,鈥� the sequel to her best-selling collection of witty pick-up lines, jokes and anecdotes 鈥淪tupid is Forever.鈥�
In a Facebook post last week, Santiago hinted through a quote graphics that she may vie for the presidency in next year鈥檚 polls:聽鈥淚 am not going to be coy. Society leaders have have urged me to seek the presidency. I can rise to the occasion.鈥�
She also uploaded in her Facebook account a video clip of her speech during her 1992 presidential run, where she lost to former president Fidel V. Ramos in a hotly contested race. JE