Mayor Duterte Determined to Run for Presidency

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – Former Congresswoman Charito Plaza of Butuan City said yesterday that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is definitely running for president in the May 2016 elections.

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Duterte has not yet declared his candidacy because it might be too early. Plaza said.

He said, “While other people who announced too soon and have long been campaigning even from the time of their last decision, it is abusive and improper to use their office and people’s money’ for their illicit, illegal and premature campaigning . These activities give the incumbents the greater point of preference, advantage, subsequently unfair to the non-incumbents.”

”Yesterday a  simultaneous nationwide caravan of Duterte’s supporters in Luzon and Metro Manila began and are  set to pass the Visayas and Mindanao region via the nautical highway and end in Davao City on Aug. 28.” Plaza said.

“We will all meet, Duterte supporters in Davao City on Aug. 28 to show and express our backing for Mayor Duterte, including the individuals’ request for him to keep running for the presidency. Not until he files his candidacy in October will Mayor Duterte begin talking as a candidate. This is regardless of his supporters’ uproar expanding across the nation and even from OFWs,” Plaza said, alluding to the overseas Filipino workers.

“Also, to think every one of these participants of the nationwide caravan in backing for Duterte will spend their, our own money in all these forthcoming activities only to show enormous civilian support for him to keep running without single government fundings and machinery spent, unlike others,” she said.

Plaza said she was selected as vice president for PDP-Laban for Mindanao.

Mayor Duterte should he give the presidency a run in next year’s polls. A group from Visayas, Mindanao and Luzon have pledged support for him.

Duterte himself even called his supporters “Dutertistas,” some of whom will arrange a major rally in Cagayan de Oro City this week to urge him to keep running for president.

Jesus Hinlo Jr., a convenor of the Duterte for President Movement, said they needed Duterte to keep running for president in light of his backing for federalism, strong campaign against crime and his vision for the country’s progress through industrialization.

A former governor of South Cotabato Mike Sueno said,  Duterte supporters chose to hold the rally as a “show of power” so that the leader can at last perceive how much the populace of the south bolster and support his presidential run.

By: Jason E.