By Deighton Acuin

PHOTO: PCOO

President Rodrigo Duterte once again floated the possibility of him gunning for vice presidency in the 2022 national elections but said the elected President must be his “friend” or he will be “inutile.”

“Medyo I’m sold with the idea. Meaning to say, I am seriously thinking of running for vice president,” Duterte said during a meeting with members from ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino - Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN).

He added: “Kasi pag wala kang ano sa President, walang suporta, wala ka talaga. Ito ang dilemma ko, the President that will win must be a friend of mine, to whom I can work with.”



The party members even told the President to run for the second highest elective position in order to “continue” his initiatives.

The meeting was aired in state-controlled media PTV-4,  which is being paid by taxpayers.

It was attended by Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Senator Francis Tolentino, House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairperson Benhur Abalos, and City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan Lone District Representative Florida “Rida” Robes.

The vice presidential push came after PDP-LABAN adopted a resolution urging Duterte to vie for the position in the next year’s elections.

Last week, the chief executive said during an event inaugurating Light Rail Transit (LRT) 2 East Extension Project that he is considering it “to maintain equilibrium.”