DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 25 May) – Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, while thankful for the support during the Run Duterte Run en masse fun run held Saturday and Sunday, said he was still not interested in running for a national office.
Two national officials – Vice President Jejomar Binay and Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas, who are dreaming of higher offices – visited Davao last week and were suspected of courting the mayor for an electoral post by the presidential candidates.
Binay was reportedly here to ask Duterte to become his vice president for next year’s elections. Roxas, meanwhile, visited Duterte for a more “personal” and non-political conversation, along with Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy, according to the mayor
In an interview, Duterte said Roxas could not bring it upon himself to ask the city mayor to be a running mate for the presidential elections.
However, Duterte said Roxas was a personal friend, and that among the candidates, “Mar is closest.”
“Maybe he wanted to ask me whether I’m running or not but he could not find it in himself to ask,” he said.
Duterte said the presidency is a destiny.
The mayor has been repeatedly coy about the national office, adding he would not even consider being a cabinet member or vice president.
He has since said no to Binay.
There have also been offers, Duterte said, from previous presidents for him to take on national roles such as heading the interior and local government post, which he also declined.
The mayor added admitted that the actual sign he is waiting for is for God to appear in his dreams before he would consider running.
The City Information Office estimated that there were around 9,000 people who attended the two-day event.
In Manila, the attendees of the fun run also reached 5,000, according to organizers there.