“Duterte is Running”

Cebu City — Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is definitely running as President of the Republic of the Philippines.

So said, former South Cotabato Gov. Mike Sueno, interim party president of Plipino Democratic Party-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN) in an organizational meeting of the political group recently held in an uptown restaurant here even as Duterte has not yet announced categorically his presidential candidacy in the 2016 presidential elections.

“Ang akong tubag (my answer is) is one-hundred fifty percent (150%). Definitely, he (Duterte) is running,” Sueno said inside the packed D’original Razon’s in Mango Avenue owned by businesswoman Emily Garcia, incidentally, the Pampanga provincial coordinator of Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Commitee (MRRD-NECC), also one of the group that pushes for the presidential candidacy of the Davao City Mayor.

The meeting was organized by lawyer Noel Felongco, the Region-7 chair of MRRD-NECC.

Sueno said in their latest conversation with Duterte, along with other key leaders of PDP-Laban and MRRD-NECC, the Davao City mayor did not tell them to stop in going around the country and organize.

PDP-Laban interim Pres. Mike Sueno (2nd from left, foreground) listens intently to Atty. Noel Felongco (standing) during the party’s Cebu meeting pushing for the presidential candidacy of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. (Photo by: Tonton Antogop)

The former Governor claimed that Duterte told them that the “official announcement” will be in June, a personal preference of the Mayor who is known for his staunch anti-crime governance notably his strong campaign against the menace of the illegal drug trade and petty thieveries.

His leadership brought in a disciplined constituency where Davaoenos take pride in being safe, casually taking out their cellular phones anytime in public view, without fear of being snatched or held up.

Among others, the Duterte administration has implemented speed limits of all motor vehicles plying the city’s main streets (30 kph), no-smoking in public places and having zero-incidence of firecracker related injuries during Christmas and New Year revelries as absolute ban on firecrackers is being applied during these occasions.

Consistent of his being anti-crime advocate, Duterte continued hogging the headlines when he told a senate investigation then that he “will gladly kill a suspected rice smuggler if the person will step in to his city.”

Earlier, he also announced giving a reward money to somebody who would bring to him the head of a suspected car thief.

On Duterte’s chances of winning, Sueno is “very optimistic” saying that even in the vote rich Metro Manila where Duterte lags behind in surveys to Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay and Sen. Grace Poe, the former governor is upbeat that Duterte will catch up because “the masses like him.”

Sueno said Duterte’s chances of victory is very big citing an informal survey where taxi drivers in Metro Manila wanted Duterte over his rivals.

“The taxi drivers, they like him, out of ten drivers, eight wanted Duterte as President,” Sueno said in Visayan.

Sueno said Duterte has also visited other areas in Luzon where the Davao based politician has also attracted great following.

In the Visayas, particularly Panay, the bailiwick of another potential presidential candidate, DILG Sec. Mar Roxas Sueno said he was surprised that Duterte also fared well.

In Mindanao, Sueno added that almost all political leaders are supportive of Duterte, claiming , eighty-percent of the Mindanao politicians, incumbent included, would throw their support to their fellow Mindanaoan.

To strengthen Visayas where Duterte has his roots, Sueno revealed of a massive recruitment activity of card-bearing PDP-Laban members who will be required to undergo a basic-membership seminar.

Sueno said that Duterte’s platform of governance would center on “Federalism”, where the Davaoeno political stalwart has already appeared on several public engagements where he expound on the federal system of government calling it as his “listening tour” to feel the pulse of the people.

According to Sueno, federalism would be the antidote to the nations ills including the Bangsa Moro issue in Mindanao.

Sueno said lasting peace is very attainable with Duterte as President because both MNLF chairman Nur Misuari and MILF leader Murad Ibrahim has high-respect for the Davao City Mayor.

The leftist New People’s Army rebels can also lay down their arms and return to the folds of the law because of their belief and trust to Duterte, Sueno added.

“The leader who is fit to face this problem is no other than Duterte. He can talk to the NPA’s, he can talk to Murad, anytime he can talk to Misuari,” Sueno revealed.

Before entering politics, Duterte is a lawyer by profession. He started his political career in 1986 after being appointed as OIC Vice Mayor and became elected Mayor from 1988 to 1998. Because of term limits he opted to run for congress in 1998 and won. He came back in 2001 until 2010, then as Vice Mayor again with his daughter Sarah Duterte-Carpio as Mayor. In 2013, Sarah did not seek reelection giving way to her father.