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possibility

DAVAO CITY - Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday that he is now open to the possibility of
running for the presidency in 2016.

Duterte made this statement after the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) ruled to dismiss the
disqualification case filed against senator and presidential aspirant Grace Poe.

[ READ: SET votes 5-4 in favor of Grace Poe ]

In an interview, Duterte expressed disappointment over the decision rendered by the SET.

"I agree with all the justices of the Supreme Court that Grace Poe is not a natural-born Filipino.
But the politicians voted to sustain theory that Poe is a natural-born Filipino," Duterte said.

"It says deemed or presumed only. A theory cannot amend a constitution by presumption. This is
unconstitutional. I am very disappointed with the votes of these politicians. Napulitika ito," he
added.

[READ: If Poe disqualified, will Duterte run? ]

According to Duterte, he is open to the possibility of joining the presidential race in 2016.

"If they will not correct it, then I am open for possibility to run. Ako na ang tatakbo pagka-
presidente," Duterte said.
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MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte has confirmed that he
will run for president of the Philippines in the 2016 elections.

"Yes, I am running," he told Rappler during a phone interview on Saturday, November 21.
Duterte was then in a party in Cavite where he had told guests he has decided to gun for the
presidency.

What prompted him to say "yes" after saying several times he wouldn't run? The Senate tribunal
decision thumbing down the disqualification case against Senator Grace Poe's presidential bid.

Duterte believes that Poe, being a foundling, is not a natural born citizen and is thus not qualified
to seek the highest post in the land.

The decision of the tribunal, he said, "cheapens the Constitution, the only thing that holds the
country together."

Asked about the factors he had once enumerated as reasons he could not run – opposition of his
family, his old age, his lack of enthusiasm for the job – he said: "There are things in life that
would move a man, a citizen, to do something even if he doesn't enjoy it."

He is now waiting for an opportunity to talk to the leadership of PDP-Laban (Partido

Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan), the political party that offered the slot of their previous
presidential candidate who had withdrawn his candidacy.

He said he would consult, in particular, PDP-Laban president Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel
III on the "desired date for filing my certificate of candidacy."

Only after he secures their blessing will he make a "formal" declaration.

PDP-Laban national chairman Mike Sueno told Rappler in a text message, "We will gladly give
him our blessing."

Duterte also said he is hoping his daughter, Sara Duterte, would be willing to run for Davao City
mayor in his stead.

'A matter of principle'

Duterte's intention to run for president is anchored on his refusal to accept "an American
president" of the Philippines, something he thinks is a distinct possibility if Poe manages to win
the elections. (READ: American president? Poe camp reacts to Duterte)
“I’m terribly disappointed. Pwede pala maski hindi natural born (Even someone who is not a
natural born citizen can run). I’ve been warning to everybody, I said I am not interested, it does
not appeal to me and I do not have a need for it. Pero ‘pag ganito ang laro ng ating bayan (But
if this is how the game is played in our country), then the option to run is on the table,” he said
during a doctors' forum in Iloilo City earlier that day.

Duterte reasoned that while the United Nations Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness
declares that foundlings are to be “deemed citizens,” it stops short of declaring the foundling a
natural-born citizen, one of the requirements for being the president of the Philippines.

If future jurisprudence were to look at the recent SET decision, it would mean even naturalized
citizens can run for president, reasoned Duterte, a stickler for following the law to the word.

“Why is [the requirement] exacting? it is exacting because of the presidency,” he said during the
forum, adding that he believed the presidency is “sacred.”

“I have nothing against Grace. But bigyan mo na lang ako ng Ifugao, Badjao. Bigyan mo na lang
ako ng plumber, karpentero o accountant, basta Pilipino okay lang. ‘Wag mo akong bigyan ng
hindi Pilipino,” he stressed.

(I have nothing against Grace. But give me an Ifugao, Badjao. Give me a plumber, a carpenter,
or an accountant as long as they are Filipino. Don’t give me someone who is not Filipino.)

Visibly distressed, he recalled reports that Poe had used her American passport during trips
abroad.

“There is a central rule by the Supreme Court which says when you use an alien passport thereby
representing you to be a citizen of another country, you have renounced the Philippine
citizenship. Why is it not followed? Eh kung ganoon, kanya-kanya na tayo (If that is the case,
let’s just go our own separate ways),” he said.

He had disappointed supporters by not filing his candidacy for president but a Commission on
Elections policy on substitution allows him to take the slot of a withdrawn candidate from the
PDP-Laban party.

'I'll do it my way'

Duterte went on to elaborate on what he would do for the country if he is elected, something he
had done often even when he had said he was out of the race.

“Pagka dumating ako diyan, presidente, then you can be very sure I will not sit there at ipupusta
ko ang buhay ko pati kulong ko, and everything and even go to jail after. Hindi ako dadaan sa
presidency na walang mangyari. Kailangan may mangyari o ayaw ko; that’s the deal.”
(When I get to the presidency, then you can be very sure I will not sit there and bet with my life,
even go to jail after – I won’t go through the presidency without anything happening. Something
has to happen or I don’t want it; that’s the deal.)

Among the specific things he would do? Put up a railway system along the Pasig River, the only
thoroughfare in Metro Manila that did not suffer from conflicting rights of way. (WATCH:
Duterte, his 6 contradictions and planned dictatorship)

A nod to supporters of the Freedom of Information Act, he said he would “open all the books”
and be "transparent with everything."

Though he “can’t give heaven,” he promised “a comfortable country" for everyone.

"You can go out at night and you don’t have to worry about your children,” Duterte said.

About Metro Manila traffic, he said the root problem was the unchecked purchasing of cars. As
for airport infrastructure, the main challenge was the number of airplanes approaching Metro
Manila airports despite the lack of runways to accommodate all the traffic.

Alongside his vision of a better Philippines, he warned that if his efforts to improve the country
were to be blocked by a corrupt Congress, he would “declare a revolutionary government” and
“close down Congress.”

“Because I have to solve so many problems, stop fucking me….If you want me to do it, then I’ll
do it but in my way,” he said. – Rappler.com