For Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, the opposition ‘won’t stand a chance’ against the Duterte-Duterte tandem, President Rodrigo Duterte running as vice president and his daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio running for president in 2022 elections.
Panelo said in his program aired in PTV-4 that Duterte will not extend his presidency and would complete his term despite issues surrounding his real health condition.
“You don’t have to force President Duterte to reveal his physical condition because he is not hiding anything from us. He tells us whatever he’s feeling,” Panelo said in Filipino Monday afternoon.
“So do not worry. He will finish his term,” he added.
The former Presidential spokesperson then said that he was going to reveal a secret.
“Between us, ‘wag niyo na lang sasabihin sa iba, ha? Sikreto. Gusto ko itong Presidente na ito tumakbong Bise-Presidente sa kanyang tatakbo – o pinatatakbo rin – na anak na si Mayor Sara Duterte sa Presidente ,” he said.
(Between us, just don’t tell anybody. It’s our secret. I want him to run as the Vice President of Mayor Sara.)
“Oh, ‘di ba? Ang ganda! Duterte-Duterte. Wala na. Patay ang oposisyon pag tumakbo ang dalawang ito,” he added.
(What do you think? It’s good! Duterte-Duterte. Game over. The opposition won’t stand a chance if these two would run.)
Duterte-Duterte tandem in 2022?
Panelo recounted when Duterte and his daughter would run for mayor and vice mayor in Davao City. Duterte won as the vice mayos, and Sara served as the mayor of Davao City from 2010 to 2013.
“When the two teamed up, nobody dared to challenge them. Why? They won’t stand a chance,” he said.
However, Panelo said that it’s unfortunate that none of the Duterte-Duterte tandem wants to run for the two highest positions in the Philippines.
“That’s how strong these two are. However, you know that both of them do not want to run,” he said.
Panelo said he even told Sara Duterte that it is her destiny to be like her father.
“That’s what happened to the President. We wooed him for 10 years. I never thought he would run. He really didn’t want to run, but I said, ‘It’s your destiny, and there’s nothing you can do about it’,” he added.