Group: ‘Duterte for president’ movement is gaining ground

CEBU, Philippines - Is he going to be an alternative presidential candidate in 2016?

His supporters still think so, but Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday told a Cebu media he remains disinterested in seeking the position.

And when he seemed to have put the issue to rest, however, he said after a while in mixed Cebuano and English “Gusto ko kaso lang wala koy pera.”

Duterte was in Cebu City yesterday to speak about federalism at the University of Cebu main campus.

Mar Masanguid, Rodrigo Roa Duterte for 2016 President Movement national president, said they have been conducting a series of  forums and consultations on federalism all over the country and Duterte had always been asked about the possibility of him seeking the presidency.

“We believe he is going to run for president,” said Masanguid.

Lawyer Noel Felongco, the movement’s Visayas coordinator, said Duterte is an alternative presidential candidate and that it is the people who wanted him to seek the post.

“The movement is growing and its growth is very amazing. We just organized two months ago, but the clamor for him to run for president is overwhelming,” said Felongco.

Although the movement is concentrating only on Duterte’s presidency, it said either Senator Grace Poe or Senator Miriam Defensor could be a good choice as Duterte’s runningmate.

Poe and Defensor themselves are being eyed as potential candidates for the presidency in the 2016 national elections.

“Mayor Duterte has a track record to speak of. He is a man of principle. Usa siya ka pulitiko nga wala namulitika. Trabaho ra gyud ng iyaha,” Felongco said.

Duterte said he was busy giving talks especially after what happened in Maguindanao last Sunday, when 44 elite Special Action Force policemen were ambushed by members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

During his talk yesterday, the Davao City mayor also said that no Filipino is in his right mind would allow foreigners to buy lands in the country.

“The moment we amend the Constitution and allow foreigners to buy our lands, ang mahitabo ana mahurot og palit atong yuta. Like China, they are very rich. They can afford to buy the entire Philippines,” he said.

Duterte also said that prior to his speaking engagement at UC, he had a talk with former Cebu City mayor Tomas R. Osmeña also about federalism.

Under a federal form of government, power and authority is divided between the national and the local governmental unit, where each has power and authority the other does not have while sharing power and authority over other concerns.—/RHM (FREEMAN)