Duterte clarifies Cayetano is his VP

MANILA, Philippines – Despite reports that Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. welcomed a possible tandem with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte, the mayor clarified that his vice presidential candidate is Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

Duterte made the declaration following Marcos’s statement that he is welcoming Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III’s statement that their political party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) is considering Marcos as a running mate of Duterte.

Pimentel said the Cayetano-Duterte tandem is not yet finalized as some of PDP-Laban members want Marcos to be Duterte’s running mate. However, he said, Cayetano tops the list of the possible vice presidential bet of Duterte.

"Si Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. 'Yan ang tandem namin as a ticket," Duterte was quoted in a report.

Duterte added that he is not discussing a tandem with Marcos since the senator is already Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s running mate.

"Hindi kami nag-usap kasi ang pagka-intindi ko sila ni Senator Santiago," Duterte was quoted.

Marcos said he welcomes the possibility of a tandem with Duterte since anything is possible in politics.

He earlier said he is always talking to the mayor “about every subject under the sun.” He also mentioned that his partnership with Santiago is a “loose coalition."

“We will have to find out and make our own way with Senator Miriam to define exactly what our coalition will be,” Marcos said.

Duterte pronounced that his presidency is now on the table last Saturday evening. However, he has yet to formalize his certificate of candidacy as a substitute of PDP-Laban’s former standard bearer, Martin Diño.