Duterte may join campaign sorties for 2019 midterm elections — Palace

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has not ruled out President Duterte joining rallies of administration candidates once the campaign period starts next year.

But newly designated presidential spokesman and concurrent chief presidential legal adviser Salvador Panelo maintained that Duterte will not use government resources.

“He did not say anything but based on previous experiences, isn’t it that the President, in the past, really joined major rallies? I just don’t know if the President will follow suit,” Panelo said.

“But he endorsed his assistant Christopher Go and the other candidates who are running under the administration Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan and Hugpong ng Pagbabago,” Panelo added. 

Panelo noted that PDP-Laban has coalesced with Hugpong, the regional party formed by Davao City re-electionist Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

“I believe PDP and Hugpong have coalitions in the regions,” Panelo said in Filipino.

No special treatment

Following Go’s filing of his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Monday, Panelo said Duterte has yet to decide on a replacement amid reports that lawyer Charmalu Aldevera will assume the position as the President’s aide.

“Let me give you some clarifications. There is no appointment yet to replace (Go). The President is yet to choose whom he will appoint,” Panelo said.

Panelo also defended Go from criticisms that he may have violated the Commission on Elections (Comelec) four-companion rule during the filing of his COC.

But Panelo admitted that there were some Cabinet members who joined Duterte, in a bid to show support for Go’s political career.

“Go was not favored. Perhaps the security officers of the Comelec were surprised because they were not expecting the President to arrive. The President was accompanied by three Cabinet members, so their number was within the limit,” Panelo said.

Since the Comelec was not prepared for Duterte’s arrival, the President’s supporters were able to sneak in, Panelo added.