DAVAO CITY – Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said Sunday he is under “tremendous” pressure to run as president.
Duterte said during his weekly program Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa, that a lot of people, including government officials, are calling him and telling him that they “have prepared money for me to run.”
“Naay sigeg tawag, akong amigo, ubay ubay ni sila. During the last few days, binubugbog talaga ako ng pressure (There were those who are calling me, my friend, there were a lot of them. Pressure is really beating me),” said Duterte.
He said a group of businessmen who has offered to fund his presidential campaign will be meeting with him.
In previous news reports, a group of businessmen represented by one Benigno Gopez offered P1 billion to fund Duterte’s campaign. The group made the bid during Duterte’s supporters rally held at the Quirino Grandstand last Saturday.
Duterte said the groups are coming to him in Davao City because he will not go in Manila.
“Parehas atong duha, sila ang nianhi ngari (Like those two who came here),” he said referring to Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Ferdinand Marcos.
Cayetano announced his vice presidential bid here last Tuesday courting Duterte as his presidential running mate, while Marcos also expressed his intent to run in the same position on the following day.
He also clarified that he has expressed support for the two as a sign of courtesy.
“Alang alang hiyain ko yan (Of course I will not shame them),” he said.
He said the public can just choose between the two who are both qualified.
“Moingon na lang ko pili mo kay Bongbong (Marcos) or Cayetano. Pareho sila maayong laki, puro bright (I will just say choose between Bongbong or Cayetano. They are both good guys, they are both intelligent),” he said.
Duterte, who also said that he will do a “final soul-searching” after the “million people march”, is still not keen in running and even quipped that he has “lost his soul”.(davaotoday.com)
