MANILA – Malacañang declared on Thursday that if President Rodrigo Duterte decides to run for vice presidency, he does not need to resign from his position.
Roque claimed in an online press conference that there is no rule requiring Duterte to retire if he files a certificate of candidacy for another elective seat next year.
“Wala po akong alam na rule na kinakailangan magbitiw sa puwesto kapag presidente ang tatakbo for vice president. Wala po akong alam na ganiyang rule (I don’t know a rule that a president needs to step down from post if he runs for vice president. I don’t think there’s such a rule),” Roque said.
In response to an inquiry about whether Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo would take over if Duterte ran for vice president in the 2022 national elections, Roque delivered the statement.
The deadline for registering certificates of candidacy for all elected offices for May 9, 2022 national and local elections is set from October 1 to 8 this year.
On May 31, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) passed a resolution encouraging Duterte to run for vice president and choose the party’s standard-bearer in the 2022 elections.
Duterte stated on July 7 that he is “seriously” considering running for the country’s second highest post.
On July 17, however, Duterte stated that he is only interested in the vice presidency to “scare off” his opponents.
Duterte has yet to make a final judgment on his political plans for the upcoming year.
