President Duterte is willing to support former Senate president Manuel “Manny” B. Villar Jr. if he decides to run for President in 2022.
At the proclamation rally of the administration senatorial ticket in Bulacan Thursday, the President declared his support for Villar after revealing that the former senator and his wife Sen. Cynthia A. Villar supported his 2016 presidential run.
“One of the factors kung bakit ako pumayag, si Speaker. Kaya kung may presidente na suportahan ko si Speaker. Sabi ko sa kanya, kung magtakbo ka, sa iyo ako Speaker Villar,” Duterte said.
Duterte admitted that he was hesitant to run for President three years ago but the Villars convinced him and offered financial support.
“Nag-dinner kami diyan sa EDSA – sa Chinese – EDSA Plaza. Nagdala siya ng pera sa bag. Sabi niya pang-umpisa mo lang kung gusto mo lang tumakbo, ‘pag hindi iyo na ‘yan,” the former Davao City mayor said.
“Nung talagang ano na – ang kampanya papalapit na. Si Ma’am pati si Speaker tinawag nila ako, isang hotel na suite, malaki, may sala. Usap kami. Sabi niya, sabi ni Speaker pati ni Ma’am, ‘Rody, tumakbo ka. Baka makatulong ka pa sa bayan’,” he added.
Duterte said he has been friends with Villar since their days in Congress, adding the former lawmaker has been “helping me all the time.” The Chief Executive was congressman of Davao City when Villar was Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Villar, a real estate magnate, lost his presidential bid in 2010 to then Sen. Benigno S. Aquino III. The former lawmaker, reportedly one of the country’s richest men, has focused on running his business since his defeat.
The President endorsed the senatorial bid of Villar’s wife in the proclamation rally, saying she was “just like a mother to the nation.” He also described Cynthia as a “very dedicated public servant” and “very industrious.”
“Wala itong marinig ka na may kalokohang corruption. Mayaman man si ma’am eh,” he said.
Meanwhile, the whole nation will suffer from severe water crisis in 2025 unless government acts fast to address the impending situation.
Hugpong ng Pagbabago senatorial bet Francis Tolentino aired this warning as he called for the immediate creation of a single water agency that will address the water shortage that may be made worse by an El Nino situation.
“Hindi pa inaanawns ng PAGASA ang El Nino. But if you look at Pagudpod, for example, makikita na na bitak-bitak ang lupa at at tila nagsasabing panahon na upang magtipid ng tubig,” said Tolentino, formerly presidential political adviser.
Tolentino is one of the first batch of Hugpong candidates that former president now House Speaker Gloria M. Arroyo personally accompanied in a campaign sortie in her hometown Lubao, Pampanga. (with a report from Ben R. Rosario)
