Revilla shuns partymates’ calls for presidential bid

Sen. Bong Revilla declined yesterday the calls from his partymates in Lakas-CMD for him to run for president in the 2022 elections.

“I am honored by the trust and confidence of the party and our kababayans, but I have no intention (to run for the presidency),” he said in a statement.

Revilla – who chairs the LakasCMD party – issued the statement after Deputy Speaker Prospero Pichay Jr., secretary general of the party, said they are trying to convince the senator to be their standard bearer as Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is standing by her decision not to run for president.

Pichay said the senator has previously begged off, but that the clamor within the party remains and that the latter still has until Nov. 15, the deadline for candidate switching or substitution, to change his mind.

The lawmaker’s disclosure further confirmed reports that Lakas-CMD fielded Anna Capela Velasco as its standard bearer as proxy or placeholder for DuterteCarpio, its sought-after presidential candidate.

“There are no more talks on that. We really have to respect the decision of Mayor Inday Duterte not to run for president, so that’s not being considered anymore,” Pichay said when asked over the weekend on the possibility of the presidential daughter becoming the standard-bearer of their party at this point.

He said if no standard-bearer agrees to run under Lakas-CMD, party members would meet after Nov. 15 to “discuss what we’re going to do next,” including the possible adoption of a presidential candidate.

He, however, noted that Velasco is not a proxy candidate of the party. –