DAVAO CITY – Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte revealed that a foreign ambassador had asked him over his 2016 presidential bid.
During his weekly program, Gikan sa Masa Para sa Masa, Duterte denied that his recent meetings with a number of ambassadors lately were related to his presidential campaign.
“No big deal except for one ambassador. I will not mention his name because I have not asked (for his permission) to divulge his name also. I was talking that a few names in the diplomatic circle keep on cropping up my name as probable candidate for presidency. I gave him the same answer,” Duterte said referring to his lack of interest in running for presidency because he claimed he doesn’t have the money.
“One, I do not like it, I do not need it. And two, is I do not have the money. Or maybe because of the second, I do not have the money so I’m not interested,” Duterte said.
“I do not even know where to get the first million to spend for the campaign,” he said.
Last Tuesday (October 7) members of the Duterte for President 2016 Movement started their caravan from Davao City to Manila to gather signatures and convince Duterte to run.
According to news reports, the caravan which is set for 12 days will drop by in Tagum City in Davao del Norte; Nabunturan in Compostela Valley province; Butuan City in Caraga Region; Tacloban City in Visayas and Naga City in Luzon.
Duterte, however, did not not like the initiative. He said he wanted to get angry but those who initiated the caravan are his people.
“Why do they have to go to Visayas and Luzon to convince me to run? Why not talk to me directly?”
“A signature campaign will be useless. As I have said, I do not want the presidency, it does not really appeal to me at all,” he said.
Asked if he will accept when someone volunteers to give him the money, Duterte said it is difficult to owe gratitude.
“How long have I been a mayor? 22 years. I have known politics. In my lifetime, I have seen enough of this thing. So I can really articulate to you what happens and what does not happen in the life of a politician,” Duterte said.
He admitted, however, that he has friends from the business sector who donates money for his previous campaign.
“I have friends from the business sector. As a matter of fact their names appear in my election financial report. I do accept help from them because they have been supportive of me, but they are not billionaires,” he said.
“Running for president and asking money from businessmen is not my style,” Duterte added. (davaotoday.com)
