MANILA, Philippines - The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) is keen on convincing Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to be the substitute of the party's standard bearer, Martin Diño.
Diño, a longtime barangay chair in Quezon City, chair of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and the secretary general of PDP-Laban, withdrew his candidacy last week after receiving a letter from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that he will likely be declared as a nuisance candidate.
PDP-Laban's leadership said in a forum that its president, Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III is set to meet with Duterte by Thursday or Friday.
Diño named Duterte as his substitute after submitting his withdrawal from the candidacy. He clarified that he had no idea if the resolution recommending Duterte as his substitute was part of the party's strategy.
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Diño said that he was just following the party's wishes. He earlier insisted that he has the track record to support his presidential bid.
The Comelec, however, said that the substitution will only be accepted if Duterte will give his consent.
Duterte has filed his certificate of candidacy for reelection and reiterated that he will not run for president.