President Rodrigo Duterte (Presidential photo)
MANILA – Malacañang on Friday said President Rodrigo Duterte needs more time to decide on who to endorse as his successor after Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, his preferred choice, announced that he was dropping out of the 2022 presidential race.
“Si Pangulo (The President) has options, has choices that he has to make and we should give him time to make those options, to make those choice(s), to make those decisions and give him the leeway to make the announcement kung kailan niya iyon gusto gawin (when he wants to do that),” Acting Presidential Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said in a press briefing.
Presidential daughter and vice presidential aspirant Mayor Sara Z. Duterte on Thursday called for unity anew following Go's decision to withdraw his candidacy for the presidency.
“Now that Senator Bong Go has declared his withdrawal from the presidential race and to quote him, 'for the sake of unity among our supporters and leaders,' we will continue in our unity with the BBM (Former senator Bongbong Marcos)-SARA Uniteam so that we can succeed in our aspiration for the country,” Mayor Sara said in a statement.
On Tuesday, Go announced his withdrawal from the presidential elections during the 158th birth anniversary celebration of Andres Bonifacio at the Pinaglabanan Shrine in San Juan City.
Go said he wanted to serve the country but realized it might not be the proper time yet.
He also affirmed his loyalty to President Duterte, whom he said he would serve for as long as he could.
“In the past few days, I realized that my heart and my mind are contradicting my actions. My family is also against it so I thought it may not really be my time yet,” Go said.
Nograles said the public should just wait for the President to announce his choice of successor.
“Antayin na lang natin si Pangulong Duterte (Let's just wait for President Duterte),” Nograles said. (PNA)
