CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama remains committed to supporting the presidential candidate President Rodrigo Duterte will endorse for the 2022 elections.
Rama made the statement after Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go withdrew his candidacy for president Tuesday. Duterte had endorsed Go.
“Where the President will be, much less, where Bong Go will be, that’s where we should also be and we are just being consistent in that particular line. So, in the meantime, I have not yet met my local co-partymates… being a partyman, and I am a PDP Laban (member), then I would like to take the cue from the PDP Laban stalwarts and that actually include the President and Senator Bong Go,” Rama said.
Rama, the founder of Partido Barug PDP-Laban in Cebu, is running for mayor in the polls. He was still vice mayor when he filed his certificate of candidacy but had to assume the mayorship after Mayor Edgardo Labella passed away on November 19, 2021.
Rama also said he remains firm in supporting Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte for vice president.
Sara is partnering with presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos.
“At this point in time, been very clear that our Vice President is Sara Duterte,” Rama said.
Rama and Marcos are also good friends.
Go decision
Rama praised Go for the decision as regards his candidacy, saying it was not an easy one.
“Such a move, I know he had an ordeal in having to deal with it but he has to cross the Rubicon and we have to respect, and not only respect, we should commend him for what he did,” Rama said.
In a statement, Go said his family is against it and he is doing it for President Duterte’s sake.
“Ayaw rin talaga ng aking pamilya. Kaya naisip ko na siguro nga ay hindi ko pa panahon sa ngayon. Diyos lang ang nakakaalam kung kailan talaga ang tamang panahon ko. Ayaw ko rin pong lalong maipit si Pangulong Duterte. Higit pa po sa tatay ang pagmamahal ko sa kanya. Matanda na po siya at marami na siyang naibigay sa bayan kung kaya’t ayaw ko nang dagdagan pa ang kanyang problema. Nananatili akong tapat sa kanya at nangako akong sasamahan ko po siya habang buhay . Iyon po ang ipinangako ko sa kanya noon pa man,” Go said.
Go originally filed a COC for president but withdrew it later in respect to Sara.
Secretary Michael Dino of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, said he feel disheartened with Go’s decision, especially that his group is among those that pushed for Go’s candidacy.
“Disheartening but will respect SBG’s decision,” Dino said.
Go thanked those who believed in him.
“Lubos ang aking pasasalamat sa lahat ng supporters na walang tigil na nagtitiwala sa akin at kay Pangulong Duterte. Kaya gusto kong magpakatotoo sa inyong lahat at ayaw ko nang patagalin pa ang bigat ng nararamdaman ko. Alam naman ng lahat na naging kandidato na po ako sa pagka-Bise Presidente sa loob ng mahigit isang buwan, 40 days to be exact. Subalit, dahil sa mga pangyayaring hindi inaasahan, kailangan ko pong magpaubaya.Alam niyo, alam ng lahat yung aking hangaring makapagserbisyo sa ating kapwa Pilipino. Hindi na po kailangang itanong yan dahil talagang gusto ko, gusto kong makapagserbisyo sa kapwa Pilipino. Gusto kong tumulong na maging maginhawa po ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino at walang magutom,” Go said. — Decemay P. Padilla, JMO (FREEMAN)