Davao City - Davao City Mayor Rodrigo
Duterte is reportedly now singing a different tune on the possibility of his
running for president in 2016.
In his Facebook page, former
North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol said he was with Duterte in Macau during the
Pacquiao-Algieri fight last Sunday (Nov. 23).
"I'm not asking you to say yes and declare that you are
running for president," Piñol recalled saying to Duterte. "All that I
am asking you to do is to not close the door and to listen to the voices of the
people."
The mayor said "okay" when Piñol asked him to listen
to the voice of the people first before making a final decision.
He recounted that Duterte's curt reply was made in front
Duterte's aide, Christopher Go, and two of Duterte's friends, one of them
former Agriculture Secretary Carlos "Sonny" Dominguez.
Months before that exchange, Duterte had repeatedly denied he
wanted to be president.
At one time, he said: "I do not covet the position. I'd
rather retire. I would rather that I die early, than become a president."
In his Facebook page, Piñol said that the prayers of the people,
along with the two-day rest in Hong Kong, gave Duterte "the luxury of time
to look deep into himself." He seems to have softened his hardline
position against the call to run for president.
But Piñol said that, if Duterte evenutally decides not to run
for presidency, despite what people say, then he would respect and accept the
decision.
He added that the Davao City mayor's change of heart did not
come easy. He and Dominguez took turns in explaining to the mayor that in the
face of issues of corruption, criminalitym and a deeply divided country, the
Filipinos virtually have no options in leadership selection.
Piñol also said that Filipinos who were at
the match between Manny Pacquiao and Christopher Algieri in Macau rushed to
Duterte on seeing him.
He explained that other people called him "pagasa ng
bayan" and "President Duterte."
Duterte has earlier ordered the billboards urging him to run for
the presidency to be taken down and threatened to kill the person who started
the call for him to run for the highest position in the country. -
9News Online, with a report from Ben Tesiorna
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