DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Amid speculation that Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is considering a presidential run in 2022, President Duterte told her that it may not be worth the trouble.
“Sinabi ko talaga: huwag kang pumasok diyan sa presidente na ‘yan. Wala kang makuha diyan (I really told her: Don’t run for president. You get nothing from the position),” the President said.
“For as long as there are parasites and there are leeches and there are people who can be (bought), people bereft or totally bankrupt of their principles in life,” Duterte said at the miting de avance of the administration Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) in Pasig City last Saturday night.
But Duterte-Carpio has quashed the rumors as she vowed to fulfill her task as mayor here.
The President said people can be unforgiving and would destroy whoever is in office, even the media.
There are people who are finding ways to remove the chief executive, Duterte said.
“It could be the media, they will destroy you. And it could be the other people who’d think every day how to get rid of you,” he added.
The President also said it does not pay being Chief Executive as one has to contend with much opposition.
“You have to contend with itong mga Bikoy (the man allegedly behind the ‘Ang Totoong Narcolist’ videos implicating Duterte’s family and allies in the narcotics trade),” Duterte said.
The President pointed to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, Magdalo group as well as opposition Otso Diretso of the Liberal Party Senate slate as behind the production of the Totoong Narcolist videos.
Duterte also lambasted media practitioners, who he said, are being paid to destroy him and his family.
“But for those people na who are into it, I know,” he said, adding that the salaries of media practitioners are not enough to support their lavish lifestyle.
The President pointed out that it was not for him when he ran for president in 2016.
“I’d like to say two things that you must remember. One is that we love our country. We want our country to progress. We want our children and grandchildren secured. We want to see a happy Philippines,” he told the PDP-Laban candidates.
“We must have law and order before we can really be a nation that is safe, a nation that is secure for our people, for our children and for our country,” Duterte added.
He also urged the public to be assertive.
“We must be freed of corruption in government,” the President said.