MANILA, Philippines – Ang pagkakatalaga ni Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte bilang pangulo ng Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP-Laban) ay nagpapakita na siya ang Plan B ng mga Duterte sa 2028 presidential elections, ayon sa isang opposition leader nitong Lunes, Abril 13.
Ito ang iginiit ni House Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio ng ACT Teachers party-list matapos na pangalanang presidente ng PDP-Laban ang anak ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte nitong weekend.
“Malinaw na may Plan B ang mga Duterte: itong si Baste. Maybe they are anxious that the impeachment proceedings against the Vice President will go on to trial and convict the vicepresident before the Senate impeachment court. So, mauudlot ang kanyang presidential bid dahil kasama ng impeachment or removal from office ay perpetual disqualification from running for public office. Hindi na puwedeng tumakbo,” ani Tinio.
Si Vice President Sara Duterte at Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte ay mga anak ng dating Pangulo.
“Kaya ngayon pa lang may pinopronta ng Plan B ang mga Duterte at magpapatakbo sila ng isa pang kandidato: si Baste. Kaya siya ginawang presidente ng PDP-Laban, ang they even formed a coalition. This is to give another Duterte a national platform,” dagdag ni Tinio.
Ang tinutukoy ni Tinio ay ang Reform Alliance for Good Governance and Accountability (RAGE) Coalition na inilunsad ng mga kaalyado ng mga Duterte sa Club Filipino, San Juan City nitong Linggo.
“We should see these moves as they are: they are campaigning for 2028,” aniya.
Bilang tugon, sinabi naman ni PDP-Laban deputy spokesperson Ferdinand Topacio na ang pahayag ni Tinio ay nagpapatunay lamang na kilala pa rin sa publiko ang “Duterte” brand.
“This is a free country. But Mr. Tinio must know that the choice of Mayor Baste was by popular acclamation within the party, is an affirmation that the Duterte brand of leadership is still preferred by a vast majority of our people,” sinabi ni Topacio sa panayam ng GMA News.
Samantala, iginiit naman ni Topacio na ang Duterte-led coalition ay hindi isang kulto.
“By saying “Duterte brand”, we do not mean a personality cult or a political party centered around one family or politician, but a distinct manner of governance that focuses on peace and order, curbing corruption, an independent foreign policy, enlightened nationalism, and respect for the dignity of the person as the single indivisible particle of democracy, with faith in a Supreme Being that guides the destinies of men and nation,” ayon kay Topacio.
“These qualities are sorely lacking in the other leaders of the country today, Mr. Tinio included,” pagtatapos nito. RNT/JGC
