Mayor Michael Rama. | file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, the leader of Partido Barug-PDP Laban, said they will wait for the endorsement of President Rodrigo Duterte before announcing who to support for president in the 2022 polls.
This developed after Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has officially withdrawn his presidential bid on Tuesday morning, November 30, 2021.
“Sa ngayon, handa po akong magsakripisyo alang-alang sa kapakanan ng ating bayan at ni Pangulong Duterte. Simpleng probinsyano lamang po ako na binigyan ng pagkakataong magsilbi sa taumbayan. Hindi ko inambisyon na maging presidente. Puro serbisyo lang po ako. Dahil ang bisyo ko po ay magserbisyo,” said the senator on Bonifacio Day.
Prior to making a statement on Tuesday, Rama personally talked with Go over the withdrawal and he found out that Go did not want to be a cause of animosity between President Duterte and his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
“We should respect, not only respect, we should commend sa iyang gibuhat. Beyond, since allied man gyod mi sa administration, I am seeing discussion in the national that this whole (issue) will settle down. Where the president will be, where Bong Go will be, that is where we will be aligned.”
“In the meantime, what we are at this point in time, we are very clear that our Vice President is Sara Duterte,” said Rama.
The mayor said that he will be meeting with party mates regarding this political development to get their insights.
Still, he promises that Partido Barug will stand alongside PDP-Laban and President Duterte in the next election.
“Abangan lang nato what will be transpiring. Definitely, before December 10, all of this will be settled. I don’t think it will be too long before this will be settled. Let us prepare in a couple of days,” said the mayor.
Two weeks ago, Barug-PDP Laban announced its support of the Go-Duterte tandem with the senator as their president and Sara Duterte as their vice president.
Still, prior to that, Rama expressed gladness that Sara will be running in tandem with Ferdinand “Bonbong” Marcos, Jr., as he believes their tandem is unstoppable.
Rama said that although he expressed personal support to the running tandem, he will follow the endorsement of the President. /rcg
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