After many months of keeping supporters and detractors guessing Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte has finally yes to the idea of running for the presidency in 2016.
The mayor was quoted by an ABS-CBN news report to have said "I could make this sacrifice if only to save this country from being fractured" when asked by a Federalism Forum participant on what he can do to solve the country's problems in Dagupan City, Pangasinan in Northern Luzon.
This is the first time Duterte, dubbed by the press as The Punisher for his uncompromising stance on crime, has made known of his political plans once his term as mayor expires. Previously he remained coy about his political ambitions saying he prefer to retire from politics due to health reasons.
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| Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte Photo credit: cdn.asiancorrespondent.com |
Mayor Duterte also discouraged supporters from egging him to run saying he would abolish Congress and dissolve the government if he becomes president but a lot has happened to country since then. He also once quipped that he doesn't have the money and machinery to run a credible campaign which would certainly costs billions of pesos.
Given the people's growing disaffection with Vice President Jejomar Binay and DILG Secretary & Liberal Party (LP) president Mar Roxas, the two main contenders for the presidency in 2016, Duterte's willingness to take the plunge is definitely a game changer.
If Duterte ever gets elected as president he would be the first Mindanaoan to hold the highest post of the land.