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MANILA – It is not the right time to talk about political plans for the 2022 national and local elections, Malacañang said Thursday.
In a virtual presser, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said politics should be set aside first since the country is still grappling with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
“Napakaaga pa po para pag-usapan ang eleksiyon at politika. Iyan naman po ang sinasabi naming palagi. Isantabi po ang pulitika habang nandito po ang pandemiya (It’s too early to talk about elections and politics. We keep on saying that every day. Let’s set aside politics first while there is still a pandemic),” Roque said.
Roque issued the statement following the launching of “1Sambayan,” a coalition of former government officials eyeing a single slate of national candidates for the May 2022 elections to challenge President Rodrigo Duterte’s preferred successor and his other bets.
The coalition, led by retired Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio, said the newly-formed coalition already had initial talks with its potential presidential and vice presidential candidates, including Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, and Senators Grace Poe and Nancy Binay.
Roque reiterated that instead of engaging in premature campaigning, the current administration is more focused on addressing the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Kami po dito sa administrasyon, gawa muna, pandemya muna bago politika (We in the administration choose to fulfill our job to address the pandemic rather than engage in politics),” he said.
Roque, nevertheless, wished the Caprio-led 1Sambayan the “best” and "good luck.”
“Hindi pa po panahon sa pulitika pero hindi po natin sila mapipigilan (It is not yet the time for politics but we cannot stop them). I wish them the best, good luck to Justice Carpio,” he said.
On March 12, Roque denied that Duterte is using his position to engage in premature campaign activities by supposedly endorsing his preferred candidates for the 2022 national and local elections.
Roque emphasized that Duterte’s top priority is to ensure the success of the government’s fight against Covid-19.
Roque’s statement came after Duterte had repeatedly teased Senator Christopher Lawrence Go about the lawmaker’s possible presidential bid next year.
There have also been growing clamor for Go and Duterte to run as a pair in the 2022 presidential and vice presidential derbies, respectively.
Duterte has yet to talk about his election plans next year, while Go has raised possibility that he might run for president in case the Chief Executive agrees to be his running mate. (PNA)
