MANILA, Philippines – “Do I look worried?”

Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II on Monday, November 23, brushed off insinuations that the possible late entry of Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte would be a threat to his own presidential run in 2016. 

“Welcome to the campaign!” was Roxas’ first line when asked by reporters to react to Duterte’s supposedly final decision to run for president in the coming national elections.

Duterte, mayor of Davao for over 2 decades, made the announcement over the weekend, following months of insisting he would not be running for president. Although he did not file his certificate of candidacy in time, it’s believed that Duterte will be subbing as political party PDP-Laban’s official standard bearer. 

“Mabuti at nakapagpasya na ng pinal si Mayor Digong Duterte na sasabak siya sa halalan. Maganda naman ito para lahat ng kandidato na ay makakapagpresente ng kanilang plataporma, kung ano ang pangarap nila sa ating bansa, sa ating mga kababayan, kung ano ang mga pamamaraan ang gagamitin nila para makamit ang kaginhawaan na siyang inaasam-asam ng ating mga kababayan,” added Roxas, who is running on the promise of continuing the current administration’s supposed gains. 

(It’s good that Mayor Digong Duterte has finally made a decision to join the presidential elections. It’s good for all candidates because now we present our platforms, our dreams for the country and our fellow Filipinos, and how we intend to achieve the good life that all our countrymen dream of.) 

There are 3 other candidates considered “mainstream” bets for the presidency – Vice President Jejomar Binay of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance, independent candidate and survey front runner Senator Grace Poe, and Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago of the People’s Reform Party. 

It was the recent decision of the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) to thumb down a disqualification case that supposedly pushed Duterte to run for president. Petitions against Poe insist she is not a natural-born citizen, a requirement to run for president. 

The tough-talking Duterte said he’s running because he does not want Poe, who he says is an American, as president. 

Duterte, Roxas ties

Roxas and Duterte are not strangers to each other. They’ve been friends since the late 90s, when both were members of the House of Representatives. In 2010, when Roxas ran for vice president, Duterte was among Roxas’ supporters. 

Before Roxas announced his 2016 candidacy, the two met over dinner in Davao City but the 2016 elections were reportedly not part of the discussion.

Roxas admitted they have not spoken to each other about Duterte’s decision to run for president. “Itong desisyon na ito naman ay personal sa bawat kandidato (It’s a personal decision for any candidate.” 

But the relationship of the two soured recently after Duterte accused Roxas’ team of being behind rumors that the Davao mayor had cancer. Roxas and the Liberal Party campaign have denied the allegations. – Rappler.com