Supporter kneels before Duterte just to convince him to run
DAVAO CITY – A barangay chair took to his knees before a mammoth crowd here Friday night, pleading for Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider and run for president in the 2016 national elections.
Mar Masanguid, chairman of Barangay R. Castillo, Agdao District in this city, caught not a few flabbergasted after he suddenly knelt on the stage during a rally attended by thousands of supporters of Duterte at the Rizal Park.
“I prayed for enlightenment for Mayor Duterte not to fail the people,” Masanguid told the Manila Bulletin here in an exclusive interview yesterday.
Masanguid, 52, is one of the prime movers of the nationwide campaign for Duterte to run for president next year under a movement called “Run Duterte Run.”
He came down on his knees in the middle of Duterte’s one-hour, 12-minute speech during the rally, his hands clasped together while looking up at the mayor like he was venerating a saint.
And he seemed unmoved even after the Bulletin reminded him that the Davao City mayor has already nixed to run for the presidency because of his lack of money, his health and the refusal of his family to throw his hat into the presidential derby.
“I would immediately get near (Duterte), embrace him, and maybe cry while begging not to frustrate the aspirations of the people,” he said.
But Duterte did give Masanguid and his thousands of supporters some reason to celebrate.
“The time is near. Just give me little time. I need to talk to my family,” he said.
There, too, was this hint that Duterte might be close to a decision to make a bid for the presidency.
“Kayong mga hindi taga dito, seguraduhin nyo lang na mananalo ako sa lugar ninyo (To those who aren’t from here, just make sure I’ll win in your places),” Duterte said. The crowd at the rally included supporters, not only from Mindanao, but from Luzon and the Visayas.
Given this window of hope, Masanguid said he believes Duterte will declare his candidacy “in the middle of September.”
“The upcoming survey would be very critical,” Masanguid opined.
Since embarking on the campaign to support Duterte in a possible run at the presidency, Masanguid said they have been able to gather around 10 to 11 million signatures nationwide just to convince him to run.
“These number include the almost two million active volunteers across the nation working without any remuneration doing discussion groups, gatherings and other activities aimed to convince the mayor to run,” he said.
Last Friday’s activity was the culmination of the nationwide caravan that started in Manila that ended here with a dramatic gathering that many expected would have been highlighted by Duterte’s declaration to run.
And even if the feisty mayor kept them hanging, Masanguid said they were convinced that the number of supporters that they have gathered was enough to finally convince Duterte.
Masanguid asserted: “We have the numbers. People are only waiting for that announcement of Mayor Duterte to run.”