Duterte wants ‘likes’ of Marcos, Escudero as his successor

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday said once he steps down, he prefers the “likes” of Senator Francis Joseph G. Escudero or former senator Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. as his successor over his constitutional successor Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo.

“If you follow the succession and Robredo takes over, hindi niya kaya (she can’t handle it) .... That’s my honest opinion. Kung sino lang sana diyan (anybody there), in the likes of Escudero or Bongbong Marcos,” Mr. Duterte said in his remarks at his dinner with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) on Tuesday evening, Aug. 14.

At another event on Tuesday, Mr. Duterte also said he would prefer a military junta to lead the country over Ms. Robredo’s leadership.

“I would suggest to the military... if you want yourselves to be the junta, I said line up here, I’ll put you in your proper place,” Mr. Duterte said at the launching at Malacañang of business advocacy group Go Negosyo’s “Pilipinas Angat Lahat” program.

The President claimed that Naga City, the hometown of Ms. Robredo where her husband, the late former interior secretary Jesse M. Robredo, served as mayor for 19 years, was once a “hotbed” of illegal drugs.

“It was there. And you can ask the Naga guys and the Naga addicts. I’m not saying...but look at Davao,” he said.

He added: “I am ready to step down. Given the right conditions, I will step down. I’m tired. I cannot control...”

In a radio interview Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said, “So dismayado po ang Presidente kaya sinabi niya, ‘Gusto ko nang magbitaw, magbitiw.’ Pero iyon nga po, ang sinasabi nga niya ay wala pa siyang nakikita na tao na tamang maging successor sa kaniya kaya naman po naririyan pa rin ang ating Presidente (The President was dismayed, so he said, ‘I want to resign, resign. But he was also saying that he could not step down because he has not found the right successor yet.)

He also said: “Pero ang sabi nga niya, kapag conditions are ripe at may nakita siyang tao na pupuwedeng magpatuloy ng kaniyang trabaho eh gagawin daw po niya iyan.” (But as he said, if the conditions are ripe and he finds the person who can continue his job, he will do that [resign].)

Mr. Roque added: “Sinabi rin po niya na sa tingin niya ay hindi sapat ang kakayahan ng ating Bise Presidente kung siya ay bababa at magkakaroon ng constitutional succession.” (He also said he thinks that the Vice President’s abilities are not enough if he steps down and there will be a constitutional succession).

Sought for comment, University of the Philippines political science assistant professor Dr. Perlita M. Frago-Marasigan said in a phone interview: “We have to learn to read between the lines, though the President speaks with resolve and finality when he says something. He will not step down if VP will take over. So that means he won’t step down. Yes, it may sound like an endorsement for Senator Escudero but the President is consistent when it comes to (former) senator Marcos.”

Mr. Marcos has a pending protest against Ms. Robredo at the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET).