DAVAO CITY – Muslim supporters of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte here on Friday said they will not support other presidential candidates if Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte will not run next year.
In a rally held at the Rizal Park members of the People’s President Rody Duterte (PPRD), an organization composed of Muslim deputy mayors said they will not vote for other candidates.
Maguindanao tribe deputy mayor Mike Nakan Al-haj said “most of the Muslims will not vote, will not support any candidate because we know that the same thing will happen.”
“Kung ano man ang nangyayari sa Pilipnas, ganun pa rin ang mangyayari taon-taon. hindi maalis ang korapsyon (What is happening now in the country will continue every year. Corruption will still be there),” he said.
Aron Matindo, a resident of Barangay Wangan in Calinan district who joined the rally said he supports Duterte because he “loves both Christians and Muslims.”
“Look at Davao City, it is a peaceful city. Duterte loves both Muslims and Christians and he is not corrupt,” Matindo told Davao Today.
Asked if what he will do if Mayor Duterte chooses not to run, Matindo said “I will tell my community to boycott other presidential candidates, except for the Vice president.”
Ali Adsaman, an Imam who joined the rally also said they only hope for a peaceful country and believes the mayor could give that to them.
“Ang among gusto man gud wala na untay gubot sa Pilipinas, kanang fair nga pagdala, kung fair ang pagdala wala nay moreklamo, bata, tiguwang, bisan unsa kang tribuha, nasa Manila ka man o sa Davao or sa Visayas ka managsuon tanan kay Pilipino man tang tanan. Murag mao nay among nafeel ba, pagbati sa pagdumala ni Mayor Duterte (What we want is a peaceful Philippines, a just goverment. If your government is fair no one will complain whatever tribe you are from, whether you come from Manila, Davao or Visayas because all of us are Filipinos. That’s how we feel under Duterte’s leadership),” said Adsaman.
Duterte has previously announced in various occasions that he has “no ambition” to be president.
Al-haj said they are still hoping that Duterte will reconsider his decision.
“Hindi kami titigil sa pagpanawagan namin kay mayor na tatakbo siya pagkapresidente (We will not stop our call for the Mayor to run as president),” he said.
In a press conference Friday night, Duterte has not yet given a statement if he will run as president.
“If I show my face there in the Commission on Elections on the 5th, I will be filing my certificate for the presidency,” he said. The filing of candidacies for the next elections is set next week, October 12-16. (davaotoday.com)
