TACLOBAN CITY- He will announce his decision regarding next year’s presidential election. This was disclosed by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte when asked when he will formally declare his bid as a presidential hopeful. Duterte was in Leyte last week to attend the 36th annual general assembly meeting of the Leyte III Electric Cooperative in Tunga town, 46 kms away from this city. According to the controversial Davao mayor, what stops him to formally declare his intention to seek the country’s highest post was the opposition of some of the members of his family.
Thus, the need for him to meet them all “in one setting” to settle the matter, he said. “I will be meeting them next week. I have talked to some individually but I would like to gather them in one setting and discuss (the matter) as some of the members of my family are against my running, “Duterte said. According to Duterte, he needs to get the “consent” of his entire family members before he makes his decision regarding his plan in next year’s elections. He disclosed that among those who oppose his possible run for President is his daughter, Sarah, former mayor of Davao. “She does not like me to run because she says I’m old and not that strong (physically),” Duterte said.
He admitted that he might not withstand the rigor of a long-haul campaign if in case he decides to run for President. “I’m 70 years old now; may be one or two days, I’m comfortable but in the long haul, di ko talaga masabi,” he said. But Duterte said that he is not really salivating the presidency “unlike some of them,” without naming names. “I don’t have the ambition. Di naman ako serious tulad ng iba. I’ll stay in Davao. I started it there and I will end it there,” he said. His visits around the country are just part of his drive for federalism, Duterte said, and not connected to the 2016 elections. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
